BRUCELLOSIS (UNDULANT FEVER, MALTA FEVER)

1. Begins slowly with tiredness, headache and pains in the bones.

2. Fever and sweating most common at night.

3. Fever disappears for a few days only to come back again.

4. Brucellosis (undulant fever, malta fever)This may go on for months or years.

RHEUMATIC FEVER

1. Most common in children and teenagers

2. Pain in joints.

3. High fever.

4. Often comes after a sore throat.

5. Maybe pain in the chest with shortness of breath.

6. Uncontrolled movements of arms and legs.Rheumatic fever

PNEUMONIA

1. Fast shallow breathing.

 2. Temperature rises quickly

3. Cough with green, yellow or bloody mucus.

 4. May be pain in chest.

 Pneumonia5. Person very ill.Pneumonia

HEPATITIS

1. Person loses appetite.

2. Does not wish to eat or smoke.

3. Wants to vomit (nausea).

4. Eyes and skin turn yellow.

5. Urine orange or brown.

6. Stool whitish.

7. Sometimes liver becomes large and tender.

8. Mild fever.

9. Person very weak.Hepatitis

TYPHUS

Similar to typhoid.Rash similar to that of measles, with tiny bruises.Typhus

TYPHOID

Typhoid begins like a cold. Temperature goes up a little more each day.

Pulse relatively slow. Sometimes diarrhea and dehydration.

Trembling or dedelirium (mind wanders). Person very ill.Typhoid

MALARIA

Malaria begins with feeling week, cold and shivery, as the temperature rises. Fever may continue up and down for several days, unless treated with sweating as the temperature falls, and shivering (rigors) as it rises again.

Occasionally, malaria gives fever every second or third day. The sick person feels more or less well on the days between.Malaria

CONFUSION BETWEEN DIFFERENT ILLNESSES THAT CAUSE FEVER

Correctly speaking, a fever is a body temperature higher than normal. But a number of serious illnesses that cause high temperature are called fever.

To prevent or treat these diseases successfully, it is important to know how to tell one from another.Fever

LEPROSY

Some villagers call any open spreading sore leprosy. This leads to confusion, because medical workers use this term only for true lwprosy (Hansen's disease). Sores commonly called leprosy are

1. Impetigo and other skin infections.

2. Sores that come from insect bites or scabies.

3. Chronic sores or skin ulcers such as those caused by poor circulation.

4. Skin cancer.

5. Less commonly, leprosy or tuberculosis of the skin.Leprosy

CANCER

Some villagers use the word cancer for any severe infection of the skin, especially badly infected wounds or gangrene.

In modern medical language, cancer is not an infection, but an abnormal growth of lump in any part of the body. Common types of cancer that you should watch out for are cancer of the skin, breast cancer, cancer of the womb or overies.Cancer

Any hard, painless, slowly growing lump in any part of your body may be cancer. Cancer is often dangerous and may need surgery

Please note that, at the first suspicion of cancer, seek medical help.

EXTREME FRIGHT OR HYSTERIA WITH FAST HEAVY BREATHING (HYPERVENTILATION)

There are certain signs associated with extreme fright, and they includes the following:

1. Person very frightened.

2. Breathing fast and deep.

3. Fast, pounding heartbeat.

4. Numbness or tngling of face, hands or feet.

5. Muscle cramps.

I suggest you try the following treatment for it:

1. Keep the person as quiet as possible.

2. Get her to put her face in a paper bag and breathe slowly. She should continue breathing the same air for two or three minutes. This will usually calm her down.

3. Explain to her that the problem is not dangerous, and she will soon be all right.http://www.google.com/Extreme fright or hysteria with fast heavy breathing (hyperventilation)

HYSTERIA (FRIGHT)

Hysteria is caused by sudden fright a person has had, or by witchcraft, a black magic or evil spirits. A person with hysteria is very nervous and afraid. He may shake, behave strangely, not be able to sleep, loose weight and in serious circumstances, even die.

There are some possible medical explanations for hysteria and are:

1. In many people, hysteria is a state of fear perhaps caused by the power of belief. For example, a woman who is afraid someone will hex her becomes nervous and does not eat or sleep well. She begins to grow weak and lose weight. She takes this as a sign she has been hexed, so she becomes still more nervous and frightened.. Her hysteria becomes worse and worse.

2. In babies or small children, hysteria is usually very different. Bad dreams may cause a child to cry out in his sleep or wake up frightened. High fevers from any illness can cause very strange speech and behavior (delirium). A child that often looks and acts worried may be malnourished. Sometimes early signs of tetanus or meningitis are also called hysteria.

There are some suggestions to the treatment of hysteria, and it includes:

1. When the hysteria is caused by a specific illness, treat the illness. Help the person understand it's cause. Ask for medical advice, if needed.

2. When the hysteria is caused by fright, try to comfort the person and help him understand that his fear itself is the cause of his problem. Magic cures and home remedies sometimes help.

3. If the person is breathing very hard and fast, his body may be getting too much air (oxygen) which may be part of the problem.Hysteria (fright)

CONGESTION (PAIN ALL OVER THE BODY)

Any sudden upset or illness that causes great distress may be called congestion by villagers. People speak of the head, chest, stomach and the whole body.

It is said that congestion strikes persons who break the diet by eating foods that are forbidden or taboo after childbirth, while taking a medicine, or when they have a cold or a cough. Although these foods usually cause no harm and are sometimes just what their bodies need, many people will not touch them because they are so afraid of getting congestion.

Different illnesses that are sometimes called congestion includes the following:

1. Food poisoning, from eating spoiled food causes sudden vomiting followed by diarrhea, crumps and weakness

2. A severe allergic reaction, in allergic persons after they eat certain foods (shelfish, chocolate, etc), take certain medicines, or are injected with penicillin. May cause vomiting, diarrhea, cold sweat, breathing trouble, itchy rash and severe distress.

3. Any sudden upset of the stomach or gut, example diarrhea, vomiting and acute abdomen.

4. Sudden or severe difficulty breathing, caused by asthma, pneumonia or something stuck in the throat.

5. Illnesses that cause fits or paralysis, tetanus, meningitis, polio and stroke.

6. Heart attacks, mostly in older persons.Congestion (pain all over the body)

WAIST PAIN (SIDE PAINS)

This name is used for any pain women get in their belly. Often, the pain goes around to the mid or the lower back. Possible causes of this kind of pain includes the following

1. An infection of the urinary system (the kidneys, the bladder or the tubes that join them.)

2. An infection, cyst, or tumor in the womb ovaries.

3. Cramps or gas pains.

4. Appendicitis.

5. Menstrual pains.Waist pain

OBSTRUCTION (STOPPED-UP GUT)

In medical terms, this impaction means that, the gut is stopped up or obstructed. Any illness causing stomach ache or diarrhea may be called obstruction.

It is said that, a ball of hair  or something else block a part of the gut. People put the blame on witches or evil spirits, and treat with magic cures and cupping. Something folk healers pretend to take a ball of hair and thorns out of the gut by sucking on the belly.

Different illnesses that cause stomach pain or discomfort and are sometimes called obstruction are:

1. Diarrhea or dysentery with crumps.

2.  Worms

3. Swollen stomach due to malnutrition.

4. Indidestion or stomach ulcer

5. And one that is rare to come by, true gut obstruction.

Most of these problems are not helped much by magic cures or cupping. To treat obstruction, try to identify and treat the sickness that causes it.Obstruction (stopped-up gut)

SICKNESSES THAT ARE OFTEN CONFUSED BY GIVING THE SAME NAME

Many of the common names people use for their sicknesses were first used long before anyone knew about germs or bacteria or the medicines that fight them.

Different diseases caused more or less similar problems such as high fever or pain in the side were often given a single name. In many parts of the world, these common names are still used. City trained doctors often neither know nor use these names. For this reason, people sometimes think they apply to sicknesses doctors do not treat. So they treat these home sicknesses with herbs of home remedies.

Actually, most of these home sickness or folk disease are the same ones known to medical science, only the names are different.

For many sicknesses, home remedies work well. But for some sicknesses, treatment with modern medicines works much better and may be life saving. This is especially true for dangerous infections like pneumonia, tyyphoid, tuberculosis or infections after giving birth.

To know which sickness definately require modern medicines and to decide what medicine to use. It is important that you try to find out what the disease is in the terms used by trained health workers.Sicknesses that are given the same name

SICKNESSES THAT ARE HARD TO TELL APART

Sometimes, diseases that have different causes and require different treatment result in problems that look very alike. A typical example is,

1. A child who slowly becomes thin and wasted, while his belly gets more and more swollen, could have any (or several) of the following problems.

Malnutrition, a heavy roundworm infection (usually together with malnutrition), tuberculosis of the abdomen, a long term severe urinary infection, any of several problems of the liver or spleen, leukemia (cancer of the blood).

2. An older person with a big, open, slowly growing sore on the ankle could have:

Bad circulation that results from varicose veins or other causes, diabetes, infection of the bone (osteomyelitis), leprosy, tuberculosis of the skin, advanced syphilis.

The medical treatment for each of these diseases is different, so to treat them correctly, it is important to tell them apart.

Many illnesses at first seem very similar. But if you askright questions and know what to look for, you can often look for, you can often learn information and see certain signs that will help tell you what illness a person has.Sicknesses that are hard to tell apart

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Infectious diseases are those that spread from one person to another. Healthy persons must be protected from people with these sicknesses.

Lets take a look at some of these sicknesses and how they spread.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Organisms that causes               Name of the sickness             How it spread or               Principal medicines
     the sicknesses                                                                     enters the body                                            
                                                ____________________________________
                                                       tuberculosis                      through the air                                              
                                                                                                 (coughing)                                                  
                                                ____________________________________
                                                         tetanus                            dirty wounds                                               
                                                ____________________________________
                                                  Some diarrhea                     dirty fingers, water                                         
                                                                                                 flies                                                           
                                                ____________________________________                                          
bacteria                                       pneumonia                             through the air                                            
 (microbes or germs)                 (some kinds)                                                                      antibiotics     
                                                ____________________________________                                          
                                                 gonorrhea and                         sexual contact                                             
                                                  syphilis                                                                                                     
                                                ____________________________________                                          
                                                   earache                                   with a cold                                                
                                                ____________________________________                                          
                                                 infected wounds                       contact with dirty                                        
                                                                                                 things                                                               
                                                ______________________________________                                               
                                                 sores with pus                            direct contact                                           
                                                                                                     (by touch)                                              
_____________________________________________________________________________________
                                                colds, flu, measles,                  from someone who           aspirin and other   
                                                mumps, chickenpox,               is sick, through the         painkillers (There are
  virus                                       infantile paralysis,                    air, by coughing,           no medicines that fight
      (germs smaller                      virus diarrhea                           files, etc.                     viruses effectively.
       than bacteria)                    _______________________________________  Antibiotics do not help)
                                                    rabies                                  animal bites                   Vaccinations help
                                               _______________________________________    prevent some virus
                                               warts                                          touch                        infections.
____________________________________________________________________________________
                                                ringworm                                                                  sulfur and vinegar
                                                                                            by touching or from       ointments: undecylenic,
     fungus                                 athlete's foot                             clothing                       benzoic, salicylic acid
                                                 jock itch                                                                  griseofulvin
____________________________________________________________________________________
                                               in the gut:                                                                   different specific
  internal parasites                    worms                                   feces to mouth               medicines
   (harmful animals                    amebus                                  lack of cleanliness
  living in the body)                     (dysentery)
                                             _______________________________________________________
                                              in the blood:
                                                malaria                                  mosquito bite                 chloroquine
_____________________________________________________________________________________
                                             lice                                          by contact with
  external parasites                 fleas                                         infected people               insecticides,
    (harmful animals                 bedbugs                                  or their clothes                 lindane
   living on the body)              scabies
____________________________________________________________________________________

Bacteria, like many of the organisms that cause infections, are so small you cannot see them without a microscope, an instrument that makes tiny things look bigger. Viruses are even smaller than bacteria.

Antibiotics (penicilline, etc.) are medicines that help cure certain illnesses caused by bacteria. Antibiotics have no effect on illnesses caused by viruses, such as colds, flu chickenpox, etc.Do not treat virus infections with antibiotics. They will ot help and may be harmful.Infectious diseases

NON-INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Non-infectious diseases do not spread from person to person. They have other causes. Therefore, it is important to know which sicknesses are infectious and which are not.

Non-infectious diseases have many different causes. But they are never caused by germs, bacteria or other living organisms that attack the body. They never spread from one person to another. It is important to realize that antibiotics or medicines that fight germs do not help cure non-infectious diseases.

Lets take a look at some examples of non infectious diseases.

Problems caused by something that wears out or goes wrong within the body. They include rheumatism, heart attack, epileptic fits, stroke, migraines, cataract, cancer.

Problems caused by something from outside that harms or troubles the body. allergies. Asthma, poisons, snakebite, cough from smoking, stomach ulcer, alcoholism.

Problems caused by a lack of something the body needs. Malnutrition, pellagra, anemia, goiter, cirrhosis of the liver(part of the cause)

Problems people are born with. Harlip, crossed or walled eyes. Other deformities are epilepsy (some kinds) retarded (backward) children birthmarks.

Problems that begin in the mind (mental illness). Fear that something is harmful when it is not (paranola), nervous worry(anxiety), belief in hexes (witchcraft), uncontrolled fear.Non-infectious diseases

SICKNESSES THAT ARE OFTEN CONFUSED

Persons from different countries or background have different ways to explain what causes sickness. Example, a baby gets diarrhea, but why?

People in small villages may say it is because the parents did something wrong, or perhaps because they made a god or spirit angry.

A doctor may say, it is because the child has an infection. A public health officer may say it is because the villagers do not have a good water system or use latrines.

A social reformer may say the unhealthy conditions that lead to frequent child hood diarrhea are caused by an unfair distribution of land and wealth. A teacher may place the blame on lack of education.

People see the cause of sickness in terms of their own experience and point of views. Who then is right about the cause? Possibly everyone is right, or partly right. This is because, sickness usually results from a combination of causes. Each of the causes suggested above may be a part of the reason why a baby gets diarrhea.

To prevent and treat sickness successfully, it helps to have as full an understanding as possible about the common sicknesses in your area and the combination of things that causes them.
What causes sickness

PURGES AND LAXATIVES THAT ARE OFTEN USED

We are going to take a look at some of the laxatives that are often used. They include the folliwing which are castor oil senna leaf cascara. These are irritating purges that often do more harm than good. It is better not to use them.

 Magnesium carbonate minlk of magnesium epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) These are salt purges, use them only in low doses, as laxatives for constipation. Do not use them often and never when there is a pain in the belly. and the final one is mineral oil. This is sometimes used for constipation in persons with piles, but it is like passing greased rocks , not recommended

There are correct uses of laxatives and purges, lets take a look at them. Laxatives are like purges but weaker. All the products listed above are laxatives when taken in small doses and purges when taken in large doses. Laxatives soften and hurry the bowels movement , purges cause diarrhea.

Purges: The only time a person should use a strong dose of a purge is when he has taken a poison and must clean it out quickly. at any other time, a purge is harmful.

Laxatives: One can use milk or magnesia or other magnesium salts in small doses, as laxatives. In some cases of constipation, people with hermorrhoids (piles) who have constipation can take mineral oil but this only but this only makes their stools slippery, not soft. The dose for mineral oil is three to six teaspoons at bedtime (never with a meal because the oil will rob the body of important vitamins in the food) This is not the best way.

Instead of using laxatives and purges that could cause harm, it would be good to go by strictly eating certain foods good for the system. Lets take a look at them.

Foods with fiber. The healthiest at most gentle way to have softer, more frequent stools is to eat more foods with natural fiber, or roughage like cassava or bran and other whole grain cereals. Drinking lots of water and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables also helps.

Peoples whose tradition it is to eat a lot of food with natural fiber suffer much less from piles, constipation and cancer of the gut than do people who eat a lot of refined modern food. For better bowel habits, avoid refined foods and eat foods prepared from unpolished or unrefined grains.Purges and laxatives

ENEMAS, LAXATIVES AND PURGES. WHEN TO USE THEM AND WHEN NOT TO

Many people give enemas and take laxatives for too often. The urge to purge is world wide. Enemas and purges are very popular home cures. And they are often very harmful.

Many people believe fever and diarrhea can be washed out by giving an enema (running water into the gut through the anus) or by using a purge, or strong laxative. Unfortunately, such efforts to clean or purge the sick body often cause more injury to the already damaged gut.

Please note, that rarely do enemas or laxatives do any good at all, often they are dangerous especially strong laxatives.

There are some cases in which it is dangerous to use enemas or laxatives which includes, never use enemas or laxative if a person has a severe stomach ache or any other sign of appendicitis or acute abdomen, even if passes days without a bowel movement. Also, never give an enema or laxative to a person with a bullet wound or other injury to the gut.

To give a strong laxative to a weak or sick person , it will weaken him more. Never give a laxative or purge to a child with high fever, vomiting, diarrhea or signs of dehydration. Do not also make a habit of using laxatives often.

There are correct uses of enemas, they are as follows. Simple enemas can help relieve constipation (dry, hard, difficult stools). Use warm water only, or water with little soap in it. When a person with vomiting is dehydrated, you can try giving an enema of rehydration drink very slowly.

When to use laxatives and when not to

MEDICINAL PLANTS

Many plants have curative powers. Some of the best modern medicines are made from wild herbs.

Nevertheless, not all curative herbs that people use have medical values, and those that have are sometimes used the the wrong way. Try to learn about the herbs in your area and find out which ones are worthwhile.

You have to note very carefully that, some medicinal herbs are very poisonous. If taken in more than the reccommended dose. For this reason, it is often safer to use modern medicine, since the dosage is easier to control.

Here are three examples of plants that can be useful if used correctly. The first one is bitter leaf (vernonia amygdaline). The leaves are rubbed between the palms, until fresh juice can be squeezed straight on the wound. Another leaf is then placed on the wound. Leaves of nightshade (solanum nigrum or s pensile) can be used.

The next is Corn Silk (the tassels or silk from an ear or maize). Sometimes a tea made from corn silk can help reduce swelling of the feet especially in pregnant women. Boil a large handful of corn silk in water and drink one or two glasses. It is not dangerouse.

The final and last is Papaya or (pawpaw). Ripe papayas are rich in vitamins and also aid digestion. Eating them is especially helpful for weak or old people who complain of upset stomach when they eat meat, chicken or eggs. Papaya makes these foods easier to digest. Papaya can also help get rid intestinal worms, although modern medicines often work better.

Collect three or four teaspoon of the milk that comes out when the green fruit or trunk of the tree is cut. Mix this with an equal amount of honey and stir it into a cup of hot water. If possible, drink along with a laxative.Medicinal plants

WAYS TO TELL WHETHER A HOME REMEDY WORKS OR NOT

Because a lot of people use a home cure does not neccessarily mean it works well or is safe. It is often hard to know which remedies are helpful and which may be harmful. Careful study is neede to be sure. Here are five rules to help tell which remedies are least likely to work, or are dangerous.

The first is the more remedies there are for any one illness, the less likely it is that any of them works.. For example, in the rural areas, there are many home remedies for goitre, none of which does any real good, here are some of them. They includeto tie a crab on the goitre, to rub the goitre with the hand of a dead child, to smear the brains of a vulture on the goitre, to smear human feces on the goitre.

Not one of these many remedies works. If it did, the others would not be neede. When a sickness has just one popular cure, it is more likely to be a good one. For prevention and treatment of goitre use iodized salt.

The second is foul or disgusting remedies are not likely to help and are often harmful. For example, the idea that leprosy can be cured by a drink made of rotting snakes, the idea that syphilis can be cured by eating a volture. These two remedies does not help at all. The first one can cause dangerous infections. Believe in remedies like these sometimes causes delay in getting proper medical care.

Lets take a look at the third one, remedies that use animal or human waste do no good and can cause dangerous infections, never use them. Some instances are putting human feces around the eye does not cure blurred vision and can cause infections, cows urine ogether with tobacco leaf tea and gin, is sometimes used to make a bad smelling medicine for giving to a child having a fit.

Also , the droppings of rabbits and other animals do not help heal burns. To use them is very dangerous. Cow dung, held in the hand, cannot help control fits. Teas made from human, pigs, or any other animal feces do not cure anything. They can make people sicker. Never put feces on the navel of a newborn baby.This can cause titanus.

The fourth is the more a remedy resembles the sickness it is said to cured, the more likely it's benefits only from the power of belief. The association between each of the following illnesses and it's remedy is clearinthe examples below which includes, for dog bite,, drinking tea made from the dog's tail, to prevent diarrhea when a child is teething, putting a necklace of snake's fangs around the baby's neck, for scorpion sting, tying a scorpion against the stung finger.

Lastly, putting feet in the fire can only cause a burn. A child in spasm with fits is very frightening to the mother and the relations, but putting the child's feet into a fire will not frighten the child back to life. It will only burn the soles of it's feet, and make things worse.

These remedies, and many other similar ones, have no curative value in themselves. They may be of some benefits if people believe in them. But for serious problem, be sure their use does not delay more effective treatment.Ways to tell if home remedy helps or not

SUNKEN FONTANEL OR SOFT SPOT

The fontanel is the soft spot on the top of a newborn baby's head. This is where the bones of his skull have still not formed completely. Normally it takes a year and a half for the soft spot to close completely.

Mothers in different lands realize that when the soft spot sinks inward, their babies are in danger. They have many believes to explain this. In parts of Africa, mothers think the baby's brains have slipped downward. They try to correct this by pushing up on the roof of the mouth, by herbal remedies or by holding the baby upside down and slapping his feet. This does not help because a sunken soft spot is really caused by dehydration.

This means the child is loosing more liquid than he is drinking. He is too dry because he has diarrhea, or diarrhea with vomiting.

To do away with this, give the child plenty of liquid. Re-hydration drink, breast milk or boiled water or if necessary, teat the causes of the diarrhea and vomiting. Usually, no medicine is needed.www.childhealth.comsoftspot on a child