Dysentery is a serious condition affecting the large intestine. It is characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the bowel, a colic pain in the region of the abdomen and passing of liquid or semi formed stools with mucus and blood. Children are more prone to this disease than adults.
Two organisms, protozoa and bacilli cause the pathological condition of dysentery. The dysentery caused by former is generally known as amebic dysentery and by latter as bacillary dysentery. An attack of amebic dysentery is milder in comparison with bacillary dysentery. But while bacillary dysentery can respond quickly to treatment, amebic dysentery does not, unless the patient is very careful. Dysentery is prevalent all over the world, except in very cold countries. Places, where poor sanitary condition prevails are particularly affected. This disease is most common in late summer & in hot, tropical climates.
SYMPTOMS
* Dysentery in children may be acute or chronic.
* This acute form is characterized by pain in the abdomen, diarrhea and dysenteric motions.
* Yellowish white mucus and sometimes only blood from the intestinal ulcers is passed with stools. The evacuations are preceded by pain and tenesmus.
* The child feels a constant desire to evacuate his bowels, although there may be nothing to throw off except a little mucus and blood.
* There is a feeling of pain in the rectum and along the large intestine.
* With the advance of disease, the quantity of mucus and blood increases.
CAUSES
Either protozoa or bacilli cause dysentery. However, the germs develop in the colon as a result of putrefaction of excessive quantities of animal protein food, fried substance, too spicy foods and hard to digest fatty substance. Thus dietary indiscretion and eating of excessive amounts of flesh food in hot weather or tropical climate results in indigestion of such foods.
The incidence of amebic dysentery is very high in areas devoid of proper sanitary facilities. The infection may occur due to contamination of water with human sewage containing amebic cysts. Various foods may be contaminated by being fertilized with human sewage or by files exposed to infection or by careless food handlers who have the disease. Children may infect themselves by playing in mucus, contaminated with amebic cysts.
TREATMENT FOR DYSENTERY
The treatment of dysentery should aim at removing the offending and toxic matter from the intestines and for alleviating painful symptoms, stopping the virulence of the bacteria and promoting healing of the ulcer. The child patient should be kept on liquid diet for the first 24 hours. The use of buttermilk will be especially beneficial as it combats offending bacteria and helps establishment of helpful micro organisms in the intestines.
HOME REMEDIES FOR AMEBIC DYSENTERY
* At the start of the problem, if an herbal decoction is made with two tablespoons of dried coriander seeds, and taken with plain water or buttermilk, the intestinal lining is soothed and the quantity of mucus in the stools decreases.
* Fresh lemon juice: Have the juice of two lemon added to glass of water, with rock salt and sugar to taste, 3-4 times a day.
* Take a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds. Grind and keep aside. One fourth of a teaspoon of this powder with a cup of fresh yogurt had 2-3 times a day, clears the mucus in the stool. Alternatively, a tablespoon of the juice of fenugreek leaves, taken with1-2 black raisins will also relieve dysentery.
* The use of pomegranate (anar) rind is another effective remedy for dysentery. About 60 grams of the rind should be boiled in the 250ml of milk. It should be removed from the fire when one third of milk has evaporated. It should be administered to the patient in three equal doses at suitable intervals. It will relieve the disease very soon.
* Apple is also considered beneficial in the treatment of acute and chronic dysentery in the children. Ripe and sweet apples should be turned into soft pulp by steaming and given to the child several times a day, from one to four tablespoons. According to age of the patient.
* Take a tablespoon of dried orange peel, crushed and ground to a powder. Add a tablespoon of large black raisin seeds. The fruit part of the raisin is laxative in nature, whereas the seeds and add it to the crushed, powdered, dried orange peel. Take a teaspoon of this mixture once a day. The combination heals the ulcers in the intestines and stops the passage of mucus in stools. This helps to cure the amebic dysentery.
