Home Remedies and Herbs for Dysentery

Dysentery is a term that refers to intestinal inflammation that causes severe diarrhea containing blood and mucus.¹ Luckily, dysentery is not common in industrialized nations, and when it does appear, symptoms tend to be mild and clear up on their own.¹ However, in some cases this condition can be life-threatening if left untreated as it results in a rapid loss of fluid in affected patients.¹

What Causes Dysentery?

Dysentery is caused by an infection. The most common type among individuals in the US and Western Europe is a bacterial infection called Shigella.¹ Shigella is a bacterial intestinal disease that leads to loose, bloody stool.² It’s most common among young children ages 2 to 4.² Shigella is contracted through direct contact with stool, which may occur when caring for children or ill patients, by eating contaminated food, or by swimming in contaminated water.² Another dysentery cause is via an amoeba infection, called amoebiasis.¹ This condition is a type of intestinal parasite infection, but this too is rare in the United States.³ It spread through contaminated food, water, or fecal matter, and risk increases for those who have traveled to areas with poor sanitation and those with compromised immune systems.³ Dysentery can also occur in patients who have experienced radiation damage, such as when being treated for cancer.⁴

Dysentery Symptoms

Dysentery is characterized by bloody, mucusy diarrhea. Other symptoms associated with dysentery may arise depending on the cause. For example, individuals infected with Shigella may also experience symptoms like abdominal pain and fever.5 Amoebiasis can also lead to severe stomach cramping and, in some cases, organ damage if the parasite spreads.³ Other times, symptoms from the infection may not arise at all.³ Dysentery treatment also varies depending on the cause. In patients with Shigella, the infection is typically treated through antibiotics.⁶ Amoebiasis is also treated through medications, but in some cases, surgery may be required.³ Patients with dysentery should pay particular attention to their fluid intake since the condition leads to loss of fluids. A variety of dysentery herbs and home remedies may be used to relieve dysentery symptoms. Talk to your doctor before attempting to self-medicate with dysentery herbal remedies to ensure they won’t interact with other medications you’re taking and that it’s the proper course of treatment for the cause of your symptoms.

References

1. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171193.php
2. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shigella/basics/definition/con-20028418
3. http://www.healthline.com/health/amebiasis#overview1
4. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shigella/basics/symptoms/con-20028418
5. https://www.cdc.gov/shigella/general-information.html