Hansen’s Disease

Hansen’s disease, is an infectious disease, which is chronic caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae. It has been known since biblical times, characterized by disfiguring skin sores, nerve damage, and progressive debilitation. Historically the said condition is affecting people of all ages since 300BC, it was recorded in biblical times although differs from tzaraath as described in Hebrew Scriptures, and later on translated into Leprosy.

It was recorded that the said condition was once connected with misconception that the person suffering from Hansen’s Disease must be isolated from healthy people because of the paranoia that it is easily transmitted into healthy person. The WHO considers the said action as unethical and not necessary. Up to these days, there are still lepers colonies remain in operation anywhere in the world, Vietnam and India to name a few.

Symptoms of Hansen’s Disease

• Skin lesions that are lighter than your normal skin color
• Lesions have decreased sensation to touch, heat, or pain
• Lesions do not heal after several weeks to months
• Numbness or absent sensation in the hands, arms, feet, and legs
• Muscle weakness

Skin lesions are the primary external symptom of this condition. If this condition is left not treated, it can be progressive which causes permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes.

Tubercoloid Leprosy – mainly affects skin nerves and mucous membranes

Paucibacillary Hansen’s disease is characterized by one or more hypopigmented skin macules and anaesthetic patches, i.e., damaged peripheral nerves that have been attacked by the human host’s immune cells.

Multibacillary Hansen’s disease or borderline Leprosy– chronic infectious

It is of intermediate severity, the most common form. It is associated with symmetric skin lesions, nodules, plaques, thickened outer skin, and frequent involvement of the nasal mucosa resulting in nasal congestion and nose bleeds but typically detectable nerve damage is late. Skin lesions looks like tuberculoid leprosy but are more prevalent and irregular; large patches can affect the limbs, and peripheral nerve involvement with weakness and loss of sensation.. This type is unstable and may become more like lepromatous leprosy or may undergo a reversal reaction, becoming more like the tuberculoid form.

Causes of Hansen’s Disease

Mycobacterium leprae is the causative agent of leprosy. It is an intracellular, acid-fast bacterium, Mycobacterium. leprae is aerobic, gram-positive, and rod-shaped, and is surrounded by the waxy cell membrane coating characteristic of Mycobacterium species.

Due to extensive loss of genes necessary for independent growth outside the host, this mycobacterium is unculturable in the laboratory, a major factor why it is difficult to positively identifying the organisms. Molecular genetics is now used and allowed to understand more and established the cause of such condition.

Prolonged close contact and transmission by nasal droplet have both been proposed as how the Mycobacterium infects people. Although prolonged close contact best fits the pattern of disease, both are still unproven.

The only other animals besides humans’ known to contract leprosy are the armadillo, chimpanzees, sooty mangabeys, and cynomolgus macaques.

The exact time taken for the cell to multiply is not known. It is generally agreed that the average incubation period of Mycobacterium laprae to develop leprosy is between 3 to 5 years.

Treatment for Hansen’s Disease

Chalmoogra Oil:
In liniment form, mixed with lime Juice, helps in elimination of various inflammations and ulcers of the skin throughout the body.

Gota Kola:
In extract form, add a few drops when drinking tea. It is used for the treatment of leprous wounds and inflammations. Can be eaten raw or with rice.

Not until the discovery and development of dapsone, rifampin, and clofazimine in the 1940s, there was no effective cure for leprosy.

To date the best medicine that treat Hansen’s Disease is Multi-Drug Therapy or MDT

Best practice in combating Hansen’s Disease:

• early detection of patients
• appropriate treatment;
• adequate care for the prevention of disabilities and rehabilitation

Since Hansen’s Disease is an infectious disease, antibiotic therapy plays a major role in the management of newly diagnosed patients.
Early recognition is important. Early treatment limits damage by the disease, renders the person noninfectious, and allows for a normal lifestyle.

Prevention for Hansen’s Disease

Vaccination against the leprosy bacillus may be considered. BCG vaccination is reported to be partially effective for protection against leprosy.

Xerosis

Xerosis is kind of skin condition is usually not serious it can be uncomfortable and unsightly. The process of drying the skin is turning healthy cells into shriveled cells thus creating wrinkles. The more serious type of Xerosis conditions associated with genetics in origin is called ichthyosis.

Causes of Xerosis

• Excessive bathing
• long-term use of air conditioning or central heating
• exposure to hot or cold weather with low humidity levels

Symptoms of Xerosis

• Redness
• Rough Skin
• Skin tightness
• Itching (pruritus)
• Fine lines or cracks
• Flaking, scaling or peeling
• shrunken or dehydrated skin
• Deep fissures that may bleed

Treatment / Home Remedies for Xerosis

Severe or chronic Xerosis problems may require a dermatologist’s attention for it may cause by some underlying illness.

Moisturizers:
One of the tested home remedy for Xerosis is readily available in form of lotion and moisturizers, apply in Xerosis areas at least twice daily. It provides a seal to the skin to keep water from escaping.

Baby Oil:
If your skin is extremely dry, baby oil is one of the best immediate home remedy for Xerosis . It is best to apply after bathing while your skin is still moist. Oil stays more in the skin to retain its moisture than that of moisturizers.

Warm water:
Bathing with warm water is much better than hot shower since hot water removes oils in the skin. Use warm water in bathing and limit bathing time up to 15 minutes to avoid drying the skin.

Prevention for Xerosis

Avoid harsh drying soaps
Use bath gels and cleansing cream in bathing
Use a humidifier in hot, dry indoor
Limit using perfumes since it irritates the skin
Pat Xerosis after bathing rather than thoroughly drying

Ear Pain

Ear pain  depends on where the pain originated. Causes may either due to traumas and/or ear infection

Three sections of human ears:

• Outer
• Middle
• Inner ear

Two types of  Ear Pain

* Otitis media – inflammation of the middle ear that is common on children
* Otitis externa – infection of the outer ear and is common during winter season

Symptoms of Ear Pain

Symptoms for otitis media include catching fever or a minor illness, dizziness, fluid or pus discharge, hearing problems, itchiness, painful sensation and vomiting.

For otitis externa, there is itchiness in the infected ear, inflammation accompanied by fluid discharges, severe pain even by the slightest movement of the jaw or ear lobes, slight fever, and temporary decline in hearing.

Causes of Ear Pain

Otitis media is primarily caused by a blockage of the eustachian tubes, an air passageway that is found in the middle of your middle ear and throat. It can be due to cold, allergies or other respiratory problems. This blockage allows entry to bacteria to build up in the middle ear and cause infection. Ear drums may swell if infected by a virus. Although infant and children are the main targets, it can also affect adults.

Otitis externa is the inflammation of the outer ear and the ear canal. It can be caused by none, or both bacterial and fungal infections. It is often called the “swimmer’s ear” primarily because the condition is most prevalent to swimmers and those who have prolonged exposure to water. Swimming in contaminated water will trigger this condition as there are chances bacteria can infect the skin, especially if there are ear impairments.

Nutritional deficiency, allergy and other infections are also some factors that may cause ear infections.

Home Remedies / Treatment for Ear Pain

Garlic:
Put few drops of garlic juice into the infected ear.

Blow dry:
This is to remove excess water trapped in the Eustachian tube, use a blow dryer from about 12 to 15 inches from your head.

Olive oil:
Using a warm spoon, put 2 to 3 drops of olive oil in each ear.

Lobelia:
Put few drops of lobelia extract into the infected ear and rub it gently.

Colloidal Silver:
It is a natural antibiotic that the patient can use to wash and clean their ears.
Mango: Put few drops of mango juice in the infected ear using a warm teaspoon.

Diets Suggestions for Ear Pain

Eat lots of foods reach in calcium and vitamin C to boost your immune system and help fight infection. You can also take in tablet form.

Zinc will also help reduce ear infection.

Avoid processed foods and foods that are rich in hydrogenated oils.

Breast-feeding is the most effective way to combat any infection for infants.

Other Treatments for Ear Pain

Stay away from smoke fumes as it blocks the Eustachian tube passageway.
Stay away from people with colds.
Keep your hands clean when touching your ear by washing it regularly in antibacterial