Symptoms of typhoid fever

What is typhoid fever?

Typhoid fever refers to an ailment that is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria. This condition is a serious concern in several countries of the developing world; however, instances of typhoid fever in the industrial world are rare.

This disease is quite contagious and can spread through foods and water, which have been contaminated. Close contact with an infected person could also cause the disease to spread. Some of the immediate typhoid fever symptoms that are evident in people who are infected are pain in the abdomen, headaches and either diarrhea or constipation.

However, there are several other typhoid fever symptoms that may be seen, as the condition progresses.

Typhoid fever symptoms

After exposure to the disease, it could take anywhere between one and three weeks for the typhoid fever symptoms to develop. Moreover, as the weeks pass, the typhoid fever symptoms tend to get more severe. In the first week of the illness, the various typhoid fever symptoms include:

High fever (around 103 to 104 degrees F)
Rash on the body
Constipation or diarrhea
Severe headaches
Fatigue and weakness
Pain in the abdominal area
Sore throat

In the second week of the illness, the typhoid fever symptoms include:

Continuation of the high fever
Frequent and watery stools or severe constipation
Weight loss
Distention of the abdomen
If the condition is not checked by the third week, the consequences could be life threatening. The typhoid fever symptoms at this time include:

Extreme exhaustion, where the person can do little apart from lying motionless

Deliriousness

Most people undergoing typhoid fever treatment see a slight improvement in the condition, in the fourth week. The fever may reduce a bit initially and the body temperature may take another 10 to 15 days to get back to normal. However, adequate home care also has to be taken in addition to the administration of typhoid fever treatment, in order to prevent the symptoms from appearing again. The typhoid fever symptoms can return even two weeks after the fever has subsided.

Typhoid fever treatment

The only effective way to treat typhoid fever is through antibiotic therapy. There are a few prescription drugs that can be used in the treatment of this condition. There are certain medicines that are suitable for children and pregnant women too. However, the use of these drugs should be strictly monitored by a doctor, as they could have some long effects. Moreover, if these antibiotics are used for a long period of time, they could cause a person to develop antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria. Typhoid fever treatment can be supplemented by supportive therapy, which includes drinking large amounts of fluid to prevent dehydration and eating a healthy and nutritious diet.

Home remedies for typhoid

Although typhoid fever cannot be cured with home remedies, some of the common home remedies may help alleviate the symptoms to a certain extent. Typhoid fever patients are asked to remain on a liquid diet for a while, which comprises mainly milk, barley water and fruit juices, especially orange juice. Several doctors recommend a diet of orange juice and warm water, for the first few days of the condition. In order to reduce the high temperature, several people apply cold compresses to the forehead. If this does not bring about the desired effects, then applying the cold pack to the whole body may be necessary. Hot or cold lemon water could also help soothe the discomfort experienced by typhoid fever.

Typhoid fever prevention

One of the best typhoid prevention methods refers to following good and proper hygiene. All supply of water should be clean, the disposal of sewage should be appropriate and anti-fly measures should be adopted. Though there are two vaccines given for immunization against the disease, neither of them are 100% effective.