Contents:
- Medical Video: What Diseases Can You Catch While Swimming?
- What are the health problems that arise after swimming in the sea?
- 1. Diarrhea
- 2. Botulism
- 3. Otitis ekterna ear infection
- 4. Seabather's eruption
Medical Video: What Diseases Can You Catch While Swimming?
Going to the beach is indeed very pleasant. You can enjoy the waves, play sand, bask in the sun, see the beautiful sun, or swim in the sea. But wait, if you like swimming in the sea, make sure you are safe. What is safe? Sink? No, it's safe from health problems that you can experience after swimming in the sea.
What are the health problems that arise after swimming in the sea?
1. Diarrhea
Have you ever imagined experiencing diarrhea after swimming in the sea? Of course no one wants this to happen. Because, diarrhea is usually caused by consumption of foods that are less clean. Well, apparently swimming in the sea can cause you to experience diarrhea.
When you accidentally or accidentally swallow seawater contaminated by bacteria causing diarrhea, you can get diarrhea. The bacteria that cause diarrhea in the sea include Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, Norovirus, and E. coli. This bacterium can be transmitted by someone who has diarrhea (or has been sick in the past two weeks) and enters the sea water to swim.
Cryptosporidum bacteria are the most common bacteria that cause diarrhea after swimming. These bacteria can stay alive for days. According to Mindy Benson, a nurse and assistant professor at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in the United States (US), animals that are in sea water can also spread these germs. To ensure you are safe, make sure you take a shower using soap immediately after swimming in the sea.
Water-borne diarrhea can last two to three weeks. This condition can cause serious dehydration, sometimes even life threatening. If you experience diarrhea that bleeds or that lasts five days or more with fever, immediately consult a doctor.
Dry mouth, chapped lips, reddened skin, headaches, confusion, or urination less than four times a day, also give a sign that you should immediately get medical treatment after swimming in the sea.
2. Botulism
Botulism is a condition of serious poisoning caused by toxins produced by bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum bacteria can be found in soil, dust, rivers, and the sea floor.
This bacterium is actually harmless under normal environmental conditions. However, when they lack oxygen they will release the toxins. Clostridium botulinum bacteria will lack oxygen when in closed cans, bottles, immovable mud and soil, or in the human body.
Toxins produced by these bacteria attack the nervous system such as the brain, spine, other nerves, and cause muscle paralysis. Paralysis that occurs can attack the muscles that control breathing, this can be deadly and must get immediate treatment.
These bacteria can usually enter the body through food or through injuries to the body. These bacteria can also be spread by dead marine animals.
So, don't move dead animals that you find on the sea or beach by hand. You should call the coast guard officer to tell you this.You also should not swim if there are many animals that die or float on the surface of the sea.
3. Otitis ekterna ear infection
Otitis externa is an inflammation of the outer ear canal (outer ear hole to the eardrum). The main symptoms are swelling, redness, pain, and like there is pressure from inside the ear.
In addition to these symptoms, otitis externa can also cause the following symptoms.
- Itchy ears
- Watery ears
- The skin around the outer ear canal appears scaly and sometimes accompanied by exfoliation
- Hearing decreases as the skin thickens and dries in the ear canal
- The appearance of a wound resembles a pimple if an infection attacks the hair follicle in the ear
- Pain accompanied by swelling in the throat
If you suffer from otitis externa accompanied by the appearance of "pimples" in the ear canal, do not squeeze because it is feared it can make the infection spread.
Otitis externa is usually caused by bacteria. Fungi and viruses can also cause this disease. In general, these bacteria or fungi infect the soft parts of the outer ear canal which have been irritated by water. That's why otitis externa disease is often referred to as "swimmer's ear disease", because it is most likely to occur after swimming in the sea.
4. Seabather's eruption
Ever heard of this disease? The name of this disease may still be unfamiliar to the ear, but from now on for those of you who like to swim, be careful with this disease.
Seabather's eruption is a skin rash caused by larvae that live in the sea. The larvae that cause seabather's eruption are thimble jellyfish (Linuche unguiculata) and sea anemones (Edwardsiella lineata).
Not long after being stung by these larvae, usually the swimmer will experience discomfort in the skin and a few minutes after or at most 12 hours, the swimmer will experience reddish skin accompanied by itching.
You can also feel headaches, nausea and vomiting. Rashes often appear on closed parts of the body, this is because larvae can get into your swimsuit. if you feel itching after swimming in the sea, don't scratch it. Scratching will actually make the rash worse.
Take off your swimsuit as soon as possible, don't bathe in the shower using a swimsuit, because this won't help. Use bath soap and rub it slowly throughout your body. If the condition does not improve, see a doctor immediately.
