How To Prevent Diarrhea? Many cases оf diarrhea аrе ѕрrеаd frоm реrѕоn-tо-реrѕоn. The fоllоwing рrесаutiоnѕ саn hеlр an individuаl аvоid diаrrhеа and оthеr viral or bасtеriаl infесtiоnѕ: Individuals caring fоr ѕiсk children or аdultѕ in аnу setting ѕhоuld carefully wаѕh thеir hаndѕ аftеr сhаnging diареrѕ, hеlрing an individual uѕе the bаthrооm, оr аѕѕiѕting аn individuаl аrоund thе hоmе. Childrеn ѕhоuld bе instructed tо wаѕh thеir hаndѕ frequently, еѕресiаllу аftеr using the bаthrооm. Practice safe fооd hаndling Alwауѕ wаѕh hаndѕ before аnd after hаndling fооd. Use саrе whеn рrераring rаw роultrу оr mеаt. Fооd ѕhоuld bе сооkеd tо the recommended tеmреrаturеѕ. Avoid rаw or rare mеаt аnd роultrу. Utеnѕilѕ соming in соntасt with raw fооd ѕhоuld bе cleaned in soap and hоt wаtеr. Fruitѕ аnd vеgеtаblеѕ consumed raw ѕhоuld bе thоrоughlу rinsed in clean wаtеr. Unраѕtеurizеd , milk may bе contaminated with bасtеriа аnd ѕhоuld аlwауѕ be avoided. Unраѕtеurizеd fruit juiсе or сidеr should gеnеrаllу bе avoided еvеn if thе ѕоurсе is nоt known bесаuѕе thе fruit may hаvе соmе in contact with contaminated аnimаl feces in thе оrсhаrd. Uѕе саutiоn when trаvеling , еѕресiаllу to fоrеign соuntriеѕ. Do not еаt fооdѕ frоm ѕtrееt vеndоrѕ. Dоn’t drink wаtеr оr drinks with iсе cubes made from tар wаtеr if thе country iѕ dееmеd unѕаfе.

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, called varicella. Shingles occurs in those who have had chicken pox in the past. Rarely those who had the chicken pox vaccine will develop shingles. The virus attacks your spinal nerve (electrical wire in your body), producing inflammation which subsequently causes severe pain and rash along the course and path of the said nerve. Shingles most often presents on either the right or left side or It is very common among the elderly and individuals whose immune system has been weakened by environmental and health factors, such as stress, injury, and side effects of some drugs. Shingles is more common among the females than in males, and it could happen anytime.  However, it is most common in the middle of, or later in, your life. It usually happens in the spring or fall. Cause of Shingles It has been determined that the virus causing chickenpox is the same as the one causing shingles and it is known as the varicella-zoster virus. After you contracted chickenpox and then got well, a small amount of the hibernates in your tissues—specifically in your nerve roots. When your resistance weakens due to older age, stress, or sickness the virus becomes active again and causes infection on one of your spinal nerves.

The incubation period of shingles is seven to twelve days. This means that before you will experience any lesion on your skin the virus has been residing in your body for around seven to twelve days. Rapid onset of pain and rash at the affected area are the first manifestations Other initial symptoms can include headache fever sensitivity to light flu-like symptoms The pain in the area supplied by the affected spinal nerve is more commonly observed After three to four days, this first batch of symptoms is followed by the appearance of a band of rash (reddening of the skin) which is described as itching, tingling, and painful. The rash could appear on any part of your body; however, it is one-sided either front or back, left or right. The rash will develop into blisters, then scab within ten days to two weeks, followed by clearing up after a few weeks. Sometimes the rash will leave a pigmented scar. These scars are usually replaced by normally colored skin in the following months. However, if the fluid containing vesicles are infected, ulceration and permanent scarring of the area may happen.  The combination of pain and the distinctive rash in the area supplied by the affected spinal nerve is the surest sign of shingles.

If you suffer from shingles, you need to have medical consultation and receive proper treatment and management. Delayed, insufficient, and wrong management will lead to some complications. Shingles Complications Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) Normally when shingles is adequately treated the pain will disappear after the infection clears. If proper treatment was delayed or not administered, there can be residual pain even if the whole course of the disease has passed. This pain could last for more than six months. There is higher risk for residual pain if you have been suffering from diabetes mellitus or HIV infection and you are aged 50 years and over. PHN chiefly affects the nerves going to the eyes and to the sides of your chest. The pain resulting from PHN is aptly described as severe, intractable, most persistent, sharp, exhausting, and shooting. The involved skin is so sensitive to touch. These pains may persist for months or years and are not always responsive to treatment. Disseminated zoster The infection can spread to other areas and adversely affect your heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, joints, and intestinal tract. If nerves are attacked by the infection, you will experience temporary weakness of the muscles supplied by them. Shingles can attack the nerves arising from your brain, otherwise known as the cranial nerves.

Diagnosis of Shingles The signs and symptoms of shingles are highly specific. It means that when your medical doctor sees the rash on one side of your body with severe pain on the said area, plus positive history of having chickenpox in the past, he could tell with much certainty if you have shingles. However, if there is doubt, he might request for herpes tests, consisting mainly of (1) examining the cells taken from the blister, (2) doing tissue culture, and (3) demonstration of antibodies in the serum. If your medical doctor believes that you have shingles, in spite of some doubt, he will immediately start giving you medications because early treatment is the cornerstone of managing the disease. He may still request for the laboratory test(s), however, to confirm his suspicion that indeed you are suffering from shingles. Treatment of Shingles Being a viral infection there is no definitive cure for shingles. However medications can be used to shorten the duration of the illness and to prevent the development of various complications. Antiviral drugs Acyclovir is the drug of choice for shingles. There is a 800 mg tablet that is given five times a day at interval of four hours, omitting the nighttime dose.