Typhoid fever is a disease caused by a bacterial infection that often occurs in non-industrialized countries such as South America, Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asian countries other than Japan. This disease is contagious due to poor hygiene conditions and the handling of water and food that is not clean. This disease most often occurs when a person ingests food or water that is infected with bacterial stool. If you are diagnosed with typhoid fever, follow these steps to find out the best way to deal with it.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using Drugs
Step 1. Take antibiotics
When you have just been diagnosed with typhoid fever, the doctor will determine the level of development of the symptoms. If it is still in the early stages, the usual treatment is antibiotics. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics for you to use for 1 or 2 weeks. Some strains of the bacteria that cause typhoid fever may be highly resistant to antibiotics. This may require your doctor to perform more complete laboratory tests to determine the best treatment options for your infecting bacterial strain.
- The type of antibiotic you will be prescribed will vary according to where you are infected and whether you have been infected before. Commonly prescribed antibiotics include ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, or azithromycin.
- You may also be prescribed cefotaxime or ceftriaxone. Both of these drugs are generally prescribed between 10-14 days.
Step 2. Take the prescribed medication for the allotted time
Even if your symptoms improve within a few days, you will need to finish all the antibiotics prescribed. If you do not take antibiotics for the recommended time, you are at high risk of relapse or transmitting the disease to others.
After finishing the antibiotics, visit the doctor again to undergo further examinations and make sure the infection you are experiencing is really gone
Step 3. Undergo treatment in a hospital
In severe cases, you will need to be hospitalized. Symptoms of severe typhoid fever that you should pay attention to are abdominal swelling, severe diarrhea, and a fever of 40 degrees C or more, or persistent vomiting. While in the hospital, you will be given the same or a similar antibiotic treatment.
- You should visit your doctor immediately if you experience these severe symptoms.
- Fluids and nutrients will also be given through an IV.
- The condition of most people improves 3-5 days after being admitted to the hospital. However, you may need to be hospitalized for a few weeks until you recover if your case is severe or there are other complications with your health.
Step 4. Carry out the operation if necessary
If complications occur during your stay in the hospital, you may be diagnosed with severe typhoid fever. In such cases, you may experience internal bleeding or a gastrointestinal rupture. If this happens, the doctor will likely recommend surgery.
These cases are very rare unless you are not treated with antibiotics
Method 2 of 3: Using Natural Supportive Therapy to Speed Up Recovery
Step 1. Always take the prescribed medication
Natural treatments should always be accompanied by prescription drugs. Although they will not cure typhoid fever, natural remedies can relieve symptoms such as fever or nausea caused by typhoid. The use of natural remedies only aims to make you feel better while antibiotics fight the cause of the disease, not to replace it.
Ask your doctor about natural remedies that you will use. Make sure it doesn't interact with the antibiotics you are taking. Always consult your doctor before using this treatment in children and pregnant women
Step 2. Meet the body's fluid needs
You should drink plenty of fluids during typhoid fever. Drink at least 1.9 liters of water every day and supplement it with fruit juice, coconut water, and other nutritious fluids. Dehydration is usually caused by diarrhea and high fever (both are common symptoms of typhoid fever).
In severe cases, intravenous fluids are also recommended
Step 3. Follow a healthy diet
Typhoid fever may make you malnourished. Watch what you eat and make sure to provide your body with nutritious and high-calorie foods. A higher carbohydrate intake will help you restore your body's energy, especially if you eat small meals several times a day. If you have gastrointestinal problems, eat soft, easy-to-eat foods such as soups, crackers, toast, pudding, and jello.
- Eat foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. The four foods are bland and easily digested by the stomach so that they can reduce the symptoms of diarrhea and nausea.
- Drink pure fruit juice (many fruit juices contain sugar, which can make diarrhea worse) with a little water, coconut water, or with rice porridge.
- Fish, milk pudding, or eggs are also quite good to eat if you do not experience complications in the digestive tract because all three are sources of protein.
- Eat lots of vegetables and fruits to increase vitamins in the body.
Step 4. Drink honey and water
Tea made from a mixture of honey and water is a powerful herb to relieve the symptoms of typhoid fever. Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey to a cup of warm water. Stir well. This drink will help with the gastrointestinal problems you are experiencing. Honey will relieve intestinal irritation and help protect the tissues in the digestive tract.
- Honey and water are also natural energy drinks.
- Never give honey to a child less than 1 year old.
Step 5. Drink clove tea
This drink is very useful for relieving the symptoms of typhoid fever. Add 5 cloves to boiling water. Boil the liquid until its volume has reduced to half. Set the pot aside and let the cloves soak in the water for a little while.
- Once cool, strain the cloves and drink the liquid every day to help relieve the symptoms of nausea you are experiencing.
- You can also add 1 or 2 tablespoons of honey to this liquid to give it flavor and add to its properties.
Step 6. Use a combination of ground spices
You can combine different spices and make them into tablets to relieve your symptoms. Combine 7 saffron strands, 4 basil leaves, and 7 black peppercorns in a small bowl. Grow until smooth and add a little water. Stir and keep adding water until the mixture forms a paste. Divide the paste into tablet size.
- Take 1 tablet of the herb twice a day with a glass of water.
- This herb is efficacious as an antioxidant and antimicrobial so that it can help you overcome problems in the gastrointestinal tract due to typhoid fever.
Step 7. Use echinacea
Echinacea which is available in the form of purple flowers, roots, or powder is very useful for increasing the body's resistance and fighting bacterial infections. This material is also useful for strengthening body tissues. Purchase dried echinacea flower powder or some echinacea root. Boil 1 teaspoon of echinacea in 240 ml of water for 8-10 minutes.
Drink this echinacea tea 2 or 3 times a day, for a maximum of 2 weeks
Step 8. Make carrot soup with black pepper
One of the main symptoms of typhoid fever is diarrhea. To help fight this symptom, boil 6-8 carrot sticks in 240 ml of water for 8-10 minutes. Strain the liquid and separate it from the carrot flakes. Add 2-3 pinches of black pepper powder to the liquid. Drink this black pepper carrot soup whenever you feel the symptoms of diarrhea are so heavy.
Adjust the amount of black pepper added to your taste
Step 9. Drink ginger and apple cider
Dehydration is the main side effect of typhoid fever symptoms. To help overcome this, you can make a fruit juice mixture that can restore body fluids quickly while providing natural electrolytes and minerals. Mix 1 tablespoon of ginger juice into 240 ml of apple cider. Drink several times a day to meet the body's fluid needs.
This fruit juice is also useful for dealing with problems with the liver trying to clean and remove toxins from the body
Step 10. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a small glass of water for the first few days of your illness
Drink this mixture every 15 minutes for 1 or 2 hours if your symptoms are severe. Continue drinking this mixture before meals for 5 days.
You can add a little honey to sweeten the tangy taste
Method 3 of 3: Preventing Typhoid Fever in the Future
Step 1. Get vaccinated
There are 2 types of typhoid vaccine currently in use. You can use the polysaccharide Vi typhus vaccine by injection and the Ty21a typhus vaccine orally. Injectable vaccine containing 0.5 ml of a single dose will be administered through the muscles of the upper arm and upper thigh. The oral vaccine is given in 4 doses 2 days apart, so it will be given on days 0, 2, 4, and 6.
- The injectable vaccine is given to children over the age of 2 years and adults. Revaccination is carried out every 5 years.
- Oral vaccines are given 24-72 hours after antibiotics are taken on an empty stomach so as not to be damaged by antibiotics. This vaccine is given to children over 6 years of age and adults.
- You must complete your vaccinations before traveling (both oral and injectable). This vaccine is useful for both people who have had typhoid fever and those who have never been infected with typhoid. However, you must repeat the vaccination every 2-5 years. Ask your doctor how long the vaccine protection you are taking.
Step 2. Drink clean water
Dirty water is the main source of transmission of typhoid fever. You may only consume certain waters during your visit or stay in a non-industrialized country. You should only consume bottled drinking water from trusted sources. You should also not ask for ice cubes unless you are sure that the ice was made from bottled drinking water.
- You should also avoid popsicles or ice in desserts unless the water source is safe.
- Bottled carbonated water is safer than mineral water.
Step 3. Clean water from dubious sources
If you can't get bottled water, you can still drink the water that's available. You just have to clean it first. Boil the water for at least 1 minute, especially if you have doubts about the safety of the source, such as tap water or a water pump. Avoid drinking water from springs, rivers, and other water sources.
- If you can't bring the water to a boil, put a chlorine tablet in water from a dubious source.
- If you live in a place with poor water quality, create a drinking water network for your home and community. Prepare a separate, clean and closed container for storing water.
Step 4. Prepare safe food
You can catch typhoid fever from food. When visiting certain countries, always cook vegetables, fish or meat properly. Wash everything with clean water before cooking. If you eat raw food, wash it first with clean water or soak it in hot water. Peel all raw vegetables after washing with soap and hot water. Never eat this vegetable skin because bacteria often live on its surface. If possible, avoid eating raw fruits and vegetables that cannot be peeled.
- Prepare separate clean containers for storing food and keep food containers away from contaminated places such as toilets, trash cans, or drains. Do not keep food in the refrigerator for too long. Eat as soon as possible. Otherwise, throw away your food after 2 or more days of refrigerated storage.
- Avoid food sold by street vendors if you are visiting a country with high typhoid fever cases.
Step 5. Get in the habit of keeping the environment clean
If you live in a typhus outbreak area, clean up the places around you as well. Discard spoiled food and place it in a tightly closed trash can. Repair damage to water pipes and drains to avoid spilling contaminated water into the surroundings.
Keep water and food storage areas away from drains, toilets, or septic tanks to avoid contamination
Step 6. Keep yourself clean
You can transmit typhoid fever by touch, so you should get into the habit of living clean as well. Wash your hands, preferably with soap or alcohol gel, before and after preparing food, touching water, after using the toilet, or handling dirty objects. Keep your appearance clean and tidy by showering every day.
