Leprosy, also called leprosy, is a skin disease in which whitish spots appear on the skin, which even affect the nerves causing great damage. It is transmitted through the secretions of the infected individual, treatment is done with the use of antibiotics prescribed by the doctor, so that it can be cured.
Although leprosy is curable, it can be difficult to achieve if the person does not perform the treatment correctly, repeating the dosage and the treatment time indicated by the doctor. Get to know the daily care and doses of Lepra remedies by clicking here.
Leprosy, also called Hansen's disease, is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae, which mainly injures the peripheral nerves and decreases the sensitivity of the skin. The most affected parts of the body are the eyes, hands and feet, but wounds can also affect the face, ears, buttocks, arms, legs and back.
As the ability to detect touch, pain, heat and cold decreases, infected people can burn themselves, cut themselves or injure themselves without realizing it.
Signs and Symptoms of Leprosy
The first and main symptoms of leprosy is the appearance of rounded spots, lighter than the skin, which can spread throughout the body. This spot can affect the eyebrows and eyelashes and can sometimes become reddish. In every spot there is an increase or loss of sensitivity and this is the biggest differential of other skin diseases because the individual no longer feels the temperature and pressure differences at the wound site and can be severely injured.
These spots on the skin occur due to inflammation of the nerves of that region, which is why symptoms such as:
- Pain and thickening of the nerves of the affected sites;
- Loss of strength in the muscles innervated by these affected nerves, especially in the eyes, arms and legs.
The first sign of inflammation in the nerve is the intense pain at the site and swelling of the region.
Other symptoms may include:
- Weakness in muscles;
- Loss of sweating ability;
- Dry skin;
- Loss of sensation and numbness;
- Injuries and wounds on the soles of the feet;
- Nose injuries;
- Injury to the eyes can cause blindness;
- Paralysis of the arms or legs;
- Impotence and sterility, because the infection can reduce both the amount of testosterone and the amount of sperm produced by the testicles.
Initial symptoms manifest between the 1st and the 7th year after infection, or many years later, depending on the person's immune response.
How to know if it is leprosy
The diagnosis of leprosy is made by observing the spots on the skin and the symptoms presented by the person. The dermatologist is the most appropriate physician to request the tests and indicate the appropriate treatment and he / she should perform tests that assess the sensitivity and strength capacity of the injured area, which helps identify the types of complications the person may have.
In addition, the doctor may scrape the wounds and send them to the lab to find the leprosy bacillus.
Leprosy is contagious
Leprosy is contagious and can be transmitted from person to person through saliva. It is recommended that the leprosy patient avoid talking, kissing, coughing or sneezing too close to others until treatment is started.
The individual may become contaminated with the leprosy bacillus and only develop symptoms many years later.
Treatment for leprosy
The treatment of leprosy is done by taking 3 antibiotics, Dapsone, Rifampicin and Clofazimine, for a few months. Antibiotics can stop the progression of leprosy and cure the disease, but for cure to be achieved treatment may need to be maintained for long periods, ranging from 6 months to 2 years, because complete elimination of the leprosy-causing bacillus can difficult to achieve.
Complications and deformities can occur that can lead to difficulty working, impairing social life, thereby affecting the psychological side of the person.
Some people can be cured alone, without any type of treatment and after the start of antibiotics, in about 4 days the disease is no longer transmissible and it is possible that the person has normal contact with other people.
