The Proper Time To Start Treatment When Signs And Symptoms Begins

Signs and Symptoms

The modern trend in the medical profession is to get patients involve in their own health care. It is believed that people know more about what they are feeling than the physician. This put them in a better position to know signs and symptoms that are chronic or acute.

Basic ideas on these signs and symptoms can go a long way in saving life and easing the workload on medical personnel. Since the World Health Organisation (W.H.O) advocates for self-medication, it is important that patients get first-hand information on disease signs and symptoms. This can be gotten from the internet. However, extreme care must be taken not to make a wrong diagnosis.

Patients are often advised to visit medical personnel when signs and symptoms start. This advice may not be a good one. This is because some signs and symptoms do not require treatment with medication. They may disappear with time.

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When signs and symptoms start, it is good a patient knows when to change life style, self-medicate or visit a health care practitioner. This is because some signs and symptoms are indications that the body is working properly.

There are so many signs and symptoms that can signal the presence of a disease or that the body immune system is working just fine. Using medications for signs and symptoms that are displayed when the body immune system is working will only jeopardise the health of the individual.

Signs And Symptoms That May Not Require Medication

A very good example of a signs and symptoms that most patient use drugs for are diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. It could signal so many things including the presence of a disease. On the other hand, it could mean that the body is functioning very well. Using medications when it is the normal functioning of the body will only lead to complications. Let us see what the body uses these three methods to achieve and when to treat it.

Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is a condition whereby bowel movements (stool, faeces) are loose and watery. It also includes an increased frequency of bowel movement. This can last for 2 – 5 days if left untreated. The number varies and the level of water in it too. However, it is not proper to take a drug when it starts.

There are various reasons for diarrhoea. The most common is a virus that infects the gut mostly through food poisoning. Other causes include pregnancy, heavy drinking, etc. All these leads to an increased secretion of food into the intestine, reduced absorption of food from the intestine or rapid passage of stool through the intestine.

When The Body Activates Diarrhoea

Studies have shown that diarrhoea can be used to clear toxic substances from the body. Once the body detects a substance that is poisonous like food poisoning, it will activate the gastro intestinal tract to eliminate the substance. Depending on the level of poisoning and the stage of absorption, it will determine the best option between vomiting or diarrhoea. If diarrhoea will be the most effective method, the next thing is to neutralise the toxin with water. This also protects the walls of the GIT. This is the most effective method when the food has gotten to the digestive tract.

This process can last for a day without having much negative effect on the sufferer. Life style modification will be effective to reduce the effect of the diarrhoea such as increased consumption of water. Using medication to stop the diarrhoea at this stage will only lead to the food poisoning to occur.

Nausea And Vomiting

Vomiting is the forcible voluntary or involuntary emptying (throw up) of the stomach contents through the mouth. There are several causes of vomiting, which include food poisoning, alcohol, pregnancy, etc. just like diarrhoea; it is either a sign or symptom of a disease or the body mechanism of preventing a disease or toxin.

When The Body Activates Nausea And Vomiting

At an early stage of food poisoning, vomiting is the best method the body uses to eliminate poisons or toxins. The mechanism is simple than that of diarrhoea. The stomach contracts forcing the substance out of the body together with food and water that may have been contaminated with the poison. The body immune system using vomiting can last for a day.

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During this period, the person can include foods that will enhance the body immune system while preventing foods the body is allergic to. This also applies to diarrhoea.

Fever

Fever is body high temperature above the normal range. Fever is another sign and symptoms of many diseases such as malaria. However, the body has a way of increasing the body temperature when foreign matters invade the body. This is done deliberately to kill and neutralise some bacteria. This can last for up to a day. Bringing it down with drugs will give the bacteria an edge over the natural body immune system.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is when the pressure of the blood is above 140/90 or higher over a period of weeks. That is persistent high blood pressure. A number of factors affect the pressure of the body. A single reading does not indicate the disease condition. 

When The Body Activates High Blood Pressure

However, the body uses this mechanism to clear the vessels carrying blood in the body of particles. Using drugs to bring the pressure down can be dangerous as it will prevent clearing the vessels of particles. Some times, the body forces blood to some parts of the body that requires it more than at other times such as after exercise.

 When To Start Treatment

Since we have known and seen that some signs and symptoms such as vomiting, fever and diarrhoea are the normal body defence mechanism, it is improper to stop it with medication. Some signs and symptoms can indicate an underlying cause. So, therefore, for cases like diarrhoea and vomiting, a day interval from the start of the signs and symptoms will generally suffice.

The initial stage of certain signs and symptoms should be followed by a healthy life style. This will help to relieve symptoms and boost the immune system. It is not every sign and symptom in the body that can be ignored. Only those that the body uses to fight off disease can be ignored. Since most medical personnel knows about this, they often know when to be scared or not.

The use of Over The Counter (O.T.C) drugs can help in some cases. If signs and symptoms persist after some days, it is advisable to consult a physician.

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