Cotrimoxazole Tablet

Vaginal discharge is a normal physiological phenomenon, in which the consistency of vaginal discharge varies throughout the cycle. Healthy vaginal discharge is clear or white in colour, with normal and non-offensive odour. Sometimes right before menstruation, your vaginal discharge may hold a brownish tinge.

The consistency of the discharge varies mostly on the hormonal changes in the body. When the levels of oestrogen are low, the cervical mucus that is liberated as discharge may be perceived as sticky and thick. When the oestrogen levels rise up, the discharge becomes wetter, more stretchy and clearer. Also, after ovulation, the consistency becomes thicker again.

When should you worry about the vaginal discharge?

1. Greenish, greyish or absurdly brownish in colour

2. When the discharge appears thicker than normal

3. When the discharge is more than normal

4. When it smells absurd like fishy or rotten meat like smell

5. Pus like discharge

6. White with cottage cheese like discharge

7. When the discharge is associated with bloody discharge and burning sensation, rash or soreness.

Diseases caused by vaginal discharge

1. Yeast Infection: The vaginal discharge is cottage cheese like and may be associated with itching of the vulva. This is also called as thrush. It can be treated easily with antifungal medications such as Fluconazole or Cotrimoxazole.

2. Vaginitis: Yellowish offensive discharge, which may be profuse, associated with itching and abdominal pain.

3. Trichomoniasis: This disease is asymptomatic in most cases and you may notice purulent discharge. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

HIV or the human immunodeficiency virus is a virus which causes HIV infection and leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS. HIV affects a person in various ways over time. HIV patients are commonly characterized by tiredness and intense fatigue. There are many causes, which lead to fatigue and there are ways to reduce fatigue as well.

• HIV virus as a cause of fatigue: HIV is a long-term infection in nature, and our body provides strong immunity to respond the virus. A lot of energy is capitalized for constantly fighting against the HIV. Fatigue slowly develops as a result of this. Some HIV patients have a high viral load and are likely to develop more fatigue. Energy is regained after starting HIV treatment.
• HIV treatment as a cause of fatigue: Anti-HIV drugs help to improve energy levels in patients, but they lead to fatigue as well. These medicines include a lot of side effects such as tiredness and excess fatigue. These side effects are more common in the early phase of treatment.

In order to avoid this fatigue, you may change your mode of treatment or consult your doctor for a change in your medical prescription. Medicines such as cotrimoxazole, dapsone, pyrimethamine, toxoplasmosis and ganciclovir lead to fatigue. Folic acid can be an alternative. Blood transfusion can also be conducted to treat fatigue due to medicines, which produces a quick burst of red blood cells. Injecting a hormone named erythropoietin also stimulates red blood cell production.

• Low vitamin and mineral levels: Low levels of vitamins and minerals in the body cause fatigue. You can avoid fatigue of this kind by choosing a balanced diet by consulting a dietician. Changing your diet and taking dietary supplements helps in reducing fatigue. Fatigue may also be caused because of anaemia.
• Sleep disorders and stress: Fatigue is bound to develop in HIV patients who suffer from sleeplessness. Insomnia, the most common sleeping disorder, occurs among HIV patients. It happens due to stress, anxiety and depression. Improving upon your sleep ensures correction of the fatigue to a great extent. You can take up counselling or therapies to reduce any kind of sleeping disorder due to stress. You should avoid consuming excess of coffee, alcohol and several recreational drugs. You must also change your lifestyle and daily routine, aiming to be more productive.

Fatigue and tiredness are common among all HIV patients, which occur because of various reasons. There are remedies to get over the fatigue which should be implemented correctly.

Pep is required for all persons invo5 in providing medical and surgical services 
No environmental transmission reported but pep is pep is required when they are exposed to -

 potentially infectious body fluid e. G. Blood, semen, vaginal secretions, synovial, pleural, pericardial, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid. Any bodu fluid contaminated with" visible blood" considered" at risk"
 exposure to body fluid considered" not at risk" e. G. Tears, sweat, urine, faeces, saliva, sputum and vomitus

Management of exp6 site
- do not panic 
- wash wound and surrounding with soap and water 
- rinse well
- do not scrub
- for not use antiseptic or skin washes
- splash of blood 
- irrigate eyes with water or saine
- if using contact lens leave them in place while irrigating. Remove the contact lens and clean them after eyes is cleaned 
- mouth: spit fluid immediately and rinse mouth thoroughly water/saline repeatedly 

Pep is required within 72 hours of exposure 
 conslt nearest art center for selection of pep regime e. G. 

1. Basic regime of 2 drug zidovudine 300 mg bd 

• Stavudine 30 mg bd
• Lamivudine 150 mg bd
•  pep in pregnancy 
• Efavirenz is contrindicated in first trimestelr 
• Indinavir is contrindicated prenatally

2 drug regime is recommended if third drug is required then use nelfinavir
 arv prophylaxix - short term arv drugs is used to reduce hiv transmission from mother to infant
- all hivexposed infants should receive cotrimoxazole at 4-6 weeks of age
 nevirapine prophylaxix 
- mother- nov 200 mg at onset of labour 
- baby- nvp syrup 2 mg / lg of body weight within 72 hours of delivery
 

UTI stands for urinary tract infections. In children a urinary tract infection (UTI) is a very common condition caused by bacteria. Bacteria that enter the urethra are flushed out through urination. But, when bacteria aren’t excluded out of the urethra, they may grow in the urinary tract and cause infections. The Survey state that up to 8% of girls and 2% of boys will get a UTI at an early age. Sometimes the symptoms of UTI are hard to detect in kids so it is better to get your child treated, as it turn into serious kidney diseases. With a right treatment your child will feel better within few days. 

Symptoms of a UTI include: 

1. Burning and pain during micturation. 
2. Urgent need to go, but having a few drops of urine. 
3. Fever and vomiting commonly occur during UTI. 
4. Foul smell and cloudy urine. 

Causes 

1. Bladder outlet obstruction like posterior urethral valve in males 
2. Vesico ureteric reflux (VUR) 
3. Uretero pelvic junction obstruction (UPJ Obstruction) 
4. Constipation: Being constipated makes difficult to empty your bladder, which means trapped bacteria which increases risk of UTI. So in order to reduce the UTI risk, avoid constipation 
5. Dehydration: Drinking water not only quenches your thirst, but it also avoids the risk of getting UTI. We should drink enough water so that we can flush out bacteria that can cause UTI. Drinking water also avoids the constipation problem. 
6. Holding urine: Holding urine for 6 hours make UTI more common as bacteria in the bladder has lots of time to grow and cause infection. So ask your child to pass urine after few hours. 

Prevention 

1. Avoid tight fitting clothes, especially for girl children. 
2. Drink more and more liquids and eat fibre rich food. 
3. Change the diaper of young child frequently. 
4. Ask your child to go for urine immediately rather than holding. 
5. Don’t give bubble bath to the child as it is a major source of bacteria. 

Investigations: 

1. USG (KUB) 
2. Urine routine examination and culture sensitivity 
3. MCU (Micturating Cysto Urethrogram) 
4. Urodynamic study 
5. DTPA Scan 
6. DMSA Scan 

Treatments 
The most common antibiotics used for treatment are:Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, Ofloxacin, Cefixime etc Sometimes hospitalization is necessary in younger than 6 months old, if: 

• The Child has a high fever and not improving. 
• The child is vomiting and having dehydration.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

What Are Antibiotics.The word antibiotic comes from the Greek anti meaning ‘against’ and bios meaning ‘life’ (a bacterium is a life form).’ Antibiotics are also known as antibacterials, and they are drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Bacteria are tiny organisms that can sometimes cause illness to humans and animals.

Antibiotics, first used in the 1940s,

An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.

Before bacteria can multiply and cause symptoms our immune system can usually destroy them. We have special white blood cells that attack harmful bacteria. Even if symptoms do occur, our immune system can usually cope and fight off the infection.

The first antibiotic was penicillin.

How do antibiotics work?

Although there are a number of different types of antibiotic they all work in one of two ways:

A bactericidal antibiotic kills the bacteria. Penicillin is a bactericidal. A bactericidal usually either interferes with the formation of the bacterium’s cell wall or its cell contents.

A bacteriostatic stops bacteria from multiplying.

What are antibiotics for? Do antibiotics work against all infections?

An antibiotic is given for the treatment of an infection caused by bacteria. Antibiotics target microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and parasites. However, they are not effective against viruses. If you have an infection it is important to know whether it is caused by bacteria or a virus. Most upper respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold and sore throats are generally caused by viruses – antibiotics do not work against these viruses.

What are the side-effects of antibiotics?

antibiotics can cause more harm than good when they aren’t used the right way

Below is a list of the most common side-effects of antibiotics:

Side-effects range from mild to very serious depending on the antibiotics used, the microbial organisms targeted, and the individual patient.Safety profiles of newer drugs are often not as well established as for those that have a long history of use.

Adverse effects range from fever and nausea to major allergic reactions, including photodermatitis and anaphylaxis.

1. Diarrhea

2. Feeling and being sick

3. Fungal infections of the mouth, digestive tract and vagina

4. Below is a list of rare side-effects of antibiotics:

5. Formation of kidney stones (when taking sulphonamides)

6. Abnormal blood clotting (when taking some cephalosporins)

7. Sensitivity to sun (when taking tetracyclines)

8. Blood disorders (when taking trimethoprim)

9. Deafness (when taking erythromycin and the aminoglycosides)

10. Allergic reactions to antibiotics

Some patients may develop an allergic reaction to antibiotics – especially penicillins. Side effects might include a rash, swelling of the tongue and face, and difficulty breathing. If you have ever had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic you must tell your doctor and/or pharmacist. Reactions to antibiotics can be very serious, and sometimes fatal – they are called anaphylactic reactions.

Alcohol

Interactions between alcohol and certain antibacterials may occur and may cause side-effects

Use antibiotics with extreme caution and ensure you inform your doctor/pharmacist if:

1. You have reduced liver or kidney function.

2. You are pregnant

3. You are breastfeeding.

Antibiotic Resistance:

One of the foremost concerns in modern medicine is antibiotic resistance. Simply put, if an antibiotic is used long enough, bacteria will emerge that cannot be killed by that antibiotic. This is known as antibiotic resistance.But overprescribing them has resulted in the development of resistant bacteria, which are bacteria that don’t respond to antibiotics that may have worked in the past.  Infections exist today that are caused by bacteria resistant to some antibiotics. The existence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria creates the danger of life-threatening infections that don’t respond to antibiotics.

Bacteria become resistant more quickly when antibiotics are used too often or are not used correctly (such as not taking a full course of antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor).

Misuse-

Though antibiotics are required to treat severe bacterial infections, misuse has contributed to a rise in bacterial resistance.

Self prescription of antibacterials is an example of misuse.

Common forms of antibacterial misuse include excessive use of prophylactic antibiotics in travelers and failure of medical professionals to prescribe the correct dosage of antibioticsw on the basis of the patient’s weight and history of prior use.

Although Antibiotics are operative in eliminating bad bacteria, they also destroy the good bacteria, which is a vital part of our immune system. Good bacteria produce natural Antibiotics, Anticarcinogens and Cholesterol lowering substances and keep our digestive tracts functioning well.

Several transmuted strains of bacteria, are resilient to Antibiotics and are not influenced by the drugs of the pharmaceutical industry.

An Antibiotic or an Anti-viral drug may remove the pathogen, but will not assist in escalating the person’s immune system, thereby, increasing chances of re-infection.Due to side effects with Antibiotics and Antiviral drugs, most people these days are looking at Natural remedies.

Naturopathy or antibiotics-What do I choose and why?

Naturopathy is a traditional healing system that has been used throughout the ages and is now backed by outstanding clinical research. Naturopathy can not only shorten the length and intensity of immune complaints but also help to ward them off in the first place.

Naturopathy helps to build natural immunity by bringing ones overall health and wellbeing into alignment.

 Historically Naturopaths would call your immune system your overall vitality and if you have a few too many health complaints in combination, say your digestion and immune system, then your vitality could be viewed as sub optimum. The good news is that Naturopathy has an amazing array of immune boosting herbs that can bring up your vitality in no time at all.

Some examples–

Mushroom extract –  mushrooms in the diet can  strengthen the immune system.

 Honey – a very strong antibiotic on the skin, and also its astringent properties helps to heal the cut.  one can apply  honey a couple of times to the stitches, then covered with a large band aid.

Garlic – antibiotic, anti-parasitic and antiseptic when consumed raw, and a boost to the immune system.

Coconut oil – contains lauric acid, medium chain fatty acids that are antifungal and antibiotic.  Coconut oil is awesome for keeping the skin around the stitches moist.

Naturopathy works to proved herbal and nutritional symptomatic relief but can also assist in boosting immunity against viruses and bacteria.

Homeopathic Alternatives to Antibiotics-

Your child is restless all night with a sore throat, cough and fever. You rush your child to the Doctor next morning and the Doctor prescribes an Antibiotic. A few days later, your child is well again. Actually, was it the Antibiotic that helped or did the ailment merely run its course? In another scenario, you have a sinus infection or a bladder infection, and you are prescribed an Antibiotic, after you discontinue the Antibiotic, your symptoms come back, and your Doctor recommends another course of a stronger Antibiotic. Before you recognize, you are taking different Antibiotics for extended periods.

Antibiotics are the leading prescribed drugs and have become a major part of the treatment modality in modern medicine today.

Homoeopathy:a better substitute to antibiotics- It i an effective alternate to antibiotics in infectious diseases, producing no toxic side effects & bringing about rapid recovery. Infectious diseases such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis media, gastroenteritis, dysentry, urinary infections, respond well to homoeopathy.

Homeopathic medicine actually gained its greatest popularity primarily due to its impressive successes in the treatment of infectious diseases in the19th century.

What is so different about homeopathy?

Homeopathic medicines are not just composed with different medicinal ingredients, and they are not just the use of smaller doses of medicines. Homeopathy represents a different approach to understanding disease and health.

What also makes homeopathy different (and sometimes more difficult) than conventional medicine is that homeopathic medicines are not prescribed to treat a specific or localized disease but are prescribed to treat specific syndromes of symptoms of which one’s disease is just one part.

In other words, two people may have the common cold, but one would have a thin watery nasal disease that irritates the nostrils, frequent  sneezing, and a headache, all of which are aggravated by warmth. The other would have thick yellowish nasal discharge that doesn’t irritate the nostrils, nasal congestion alternating with nasal discharge, a cough that is relieved in the open air, and no thirst.

In Homeopathy, there is no Antibiotic or Anti viral remedy, because every correctly prescribed Homeopathic remedy has the potential of strengthening a person’s immune system that helps to fight any bacterial or viral infection.

Homeopathy has several advantages, which make it, a preferred alternative over conventional Antibiotics. It is safe with no side effects, does not suppress the immune system

Self – care –Measures along with Homeopathic remedies during an active infection:

• Eliminate caffeine, alcohol, sugar, dairy, refined foods.

• Eat lightly.

• Be well hydrated.

• Drink warm beverages, like herbal teas.

• Juice fasting can help during an infection.

• Strengthen your immune system with yoghurt, foods rich in Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, and zinc.

• Colon cleansing can help.

• Steam baths can help detoxify your system during infections.

• Massage can speed up elimination of toxins, particularly a foot massage.

• Relax and get enough rest.

• Local application of turmeric can help skin infections.

• Hot ginger tea for throat infections.Have a positive mental attitude.

Hence, to summarize, Antibiotics are an interesting group of medications, however, they tend to be over prescribed and toxic. They must be utilized as a last option, not the first.

The use of Homeopathy as a possible alternative to Antibiotics would be more favorable, harmless and cost-effective.