Contents:
- Medical Video: Disease! Crash Course World History 203
- Independent tips to prevent disability complications due to leprosy
- 1. Checking
- 2. Caring for
- 3. Protect yourself
Medical Video: Disease! Crash Course World History 203
Leprosy is a feared disease because it can cause permanent physical disability. At present, Indonesia ranks third after India and Brazil as the country with the most recent cases of leprosy in 2015. The risk of disability complications due to leprosy can be prevented by early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Here's what you can do.
Independent tips to prevent disability complications due to leprosy
Until now there is no vaccine to prevent leprosy. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are the best prevention to prevent disability due to leprosy and prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the body.
In addition, you can also do early detection at home with 3M principles (Checking, Protecting and Caring for yourself). So if you begin to notice new symptoms or signs of disability, you can immediately see a doctorto get the right care.
What is the 3M principle like?
1. Checking
The risk of disability complications due to leprosy can occur in any part of the body. However, the most common "targets" are eyes, hands and feet. For this reason, you should regularly check every inch of your body for suspicious signs.
Check eyes and face
Reflect frequently to check for changes in the eyes. Bacteria that cause leprosy that have spread to the eye can cause the color of the cornea to moan, inflammation of the iris that causes the eyes to look reddish, causing eyebrows and eyelashes to fall out.
Muscle paralysis due to leprosy defects can also cause the eyelids to not be tightly closed. So, pay close attention to the signs. While still in the mirror, also check whether there are changes to your face. Advanced leprosy infection can "eat away" the nasal bones so that the base of the nose appears to go inside (saddle nose).
Check hands and fingers
The initial symptoms and the most typical of leprosy are patches of dry white skin like phlegm, which feels numb (numb / numb) when touched. These patches can also be accompanied by spots or swelling.
This sensation of numbness makes you late or totally unaware when injured, for example pierced by sharp objects. Because you don't feel any sensation, you can even ignore the wound until it deteriorates into a new infection. If the infection is too severe, the body part must be immediately amputated so as not to affect other areas of the body.
Well, check the condition of your hands and fingers frequently. Examine every inch of your arm, for any cuts or abrasions. No matter how small the scars or abrasions, don't ignore them.
In addition to checking for wounds and infections, also observe whether your arms or fingers can still function and move properly. Bacteria that cause leprosy can attack the arm muscles, causing muscles to weaken or even paralyze. Beware if your fingers, including your wrist, are limp and cannot be straightened out.
In untreated advanced stage leprosy, bacterial spread to bone causes tapered fingers or toes.
Check your feet and fingers
Just like the hand, dry white spots that feel numb leprosy can also appear on the feet. Therefore, do not neglect to check and check every inch of your feet, including between your fingers and soles of your feet. Also check whether there are signs of injury or infection.
Always try to move your legs to make sure your leg muscles are still functioning properly. Muscle damage due to infection with leprosy can cause the leg muscles to weaken and even become paralyzed, until the toes bend and your legs eventually become narrow.
If the semper leg is allowed to continue to hang, the back of the ankle muscle will shorten so that the leg cannot be lifted. Your toes will drag and cause injury.
Check the skin of the body
Observe wherever white patches appear on your body, whether they spread or even crack open. Also check for signs of bruising, abrasions, ulcers, thickened infected skin. Don't forget the back that might be difficult to see. No matter how small the wound, don't be ignored.
2. Caring for
Body care to prevent disability due to leprosy depends on the symptoms you feel. If you begin to feel your eyes dry and red, use eye drops that contain saline (salt water). While resting, close your eyes with a soft, damp cloth.
For dry skin, you can soak your hands and feet for 20 minutes every day in the water. Gently scrub the soaked part of the skin without drying it first. You can also moisturize dry skin by regularly applying coconut oil or olive oil.
If there are any small cuts or abrasions, immediately clean the wound with soap and treat it before it's too late. After that, cover the wound with a bandage or gauze. If there is a bruise, rest the part until healed. You can apply a special ointment to treat bruises.
To prevent the muscles of your limbs from being stiff, often use your hands and feet to straighten bent joints. You can also do some of these activities to prevent stiffness from getting worse:
- Place your hands on your thighs, straighten and bend your fingers repeatedly.
- Hold your thumb with the other hand and move the joint so it is not stiff.
- If there are weaknesses in the fingers, strengthen by placing your hands on the table or thigh, separate them and close your fingers repeatedly. Tie the finger with 2-3 rubber bands, then separate and close the fingers repeatedly (from the index finger to the little finger).
For foot care:
- Sit with your legs straight forward. Wear a long cloth or sarong that is hooked on the front of the foot and pull it towards the body.
- Tie the rubber (from the inner tube) to the pole or table leg, and pull the rubber strap with your back, then hold for a few moments and then repeat several times.
- Rest the legs where the palm skin is thickened or being injured so as not to become an infection. Do not be used as a platform when walking. You can use a stick to balance your path.
3. Protect yourself
Scratches on clothes, pillowcases, hands, leaves, dust, hair, smoke and others can damage the eyes. As a result, vulnerable eyes are flushed, inflamed, and infected which are at risk of causing blindness. To prevent eye damage, leye protection with sunglasses from wind, dust and pollution that can hurt the eyes or make the eyes dry. Also avoid too long activities in dusty environments, such as hoeing dry land, reaping rice, grinding rice, burning garbage, and others.
To protect your hands and feet from possible injury when on the move, you can wear appropriate clothing. For example, arms and trousers, gloves, socks, and shoes that cover the entire leg, like boots.
