Listeria is a bacterium that is found in soil, water and animals like cattle and chicken. It can be present in raw milk as well as products made from raw milk. This bacterium can also be found in food processing plants where it leads to contamination of the processed meat.
Are There Any Home Remedies For Listeria?
What are the home remedies for listeria? If you are suffering from a Listeria infection then there are several things you can do at home to take care of yourself and prevent the worsening of your symptoms. Think of treating this condition as you would treat any food-poising incident or any other foodborne illness.
The first home remedy for listeria is to keep your-self hydrated at all times. Drinking water is a good home remedy for listeria. Since vomiting and diarrhea are the most commonly reported symptoms, this will prevent your body from becoming dehydrated. Apart from just plain water, you may also consider to add in lemon, or salt or sugar to your fluids. Alternatively, you could use one of the over-the-counter electrolyte replenishing formulations available in most supermarkets or at your local drug store. These additional ingredients will help you replace the lost electrolytes in your body and will help you combat any weakness to speed up your recovery.
The second home remedy for listeria is to ease that muscle pain and/or bring down that fever. Depending on the nature and severity of these symptoms, you may either choose between painkillers such as acetaminophen or go for an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen. These are available over the counter at your local drug store. Make sure you take these medicines as directed as over dosage of these medicines are associated with their own risks.
Acetaminophen over dosage may lead to liver toxicity and ibuprofen over dosage may lead to kidney toxicity. The last home remedy for listeria is to be careful in your choice of diet and select food that are easy to digest. Your intestines need some time to return to their normal strength and so avoiding food or drinks that could irritate the tissues during this process will speed up the healing. Alcohol can slow down the recovery process so it would be best to restrict its consumption till you are back to normal. In general, it would be good to stick to fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid any processed food. In addition, spicy food such as those with a lot of cayenne pepper or fatty food like red meat as well as the dairy products like cheese should also be avoided.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of A Listeria Infection?
In most cases, the symptoms of the listeria infection resemble those of a typical food poisoning. The patients typically complain of fever with chills. Muscle pains and stiffness typically accompany this. The patients also complain of nausea and vomiting or severe diarrhea and abdominal pain. In some cases, the infection spreads to the nervous system and so it may result in symptoms of severe headache, stiff neck, disorientation and confusion.
What Do You Do If You Suspect You Have Listeria Infection?
If you suspect you have the signs and symptoms of a Listeria infection, you should consult your healthcare provider who can order some of the tests to confirm this diagnosis. Your healthcare provider will generally order a bacterial culture test using your blood, spinal fluid or placental tissue to detect the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.
How Do You Treat Listeria Infection?
The treatment of Listeria depends on the severity of your physical symptoms. In most cases, if the infection is mild, it does not require any prescription treatment and can be cured with at home natural remedies. Only if you have serious symptoms or if you are among the patient population who are at a greater risk from this infection (pregnant women, elderly population, patients with compromised immune systems) will you need prompt medical treatment.
Also Read:
- What is Listeriosis or Listeria, Know its Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention, Prognosis
- Can Listeria Be Transmitted From Person to Person?
- How Do You Know If You Have Listeria?
- Where To Look For Listeria And How To Avoid It?
- How Common Is Listeria?
- What Is Listeria Outbreak?
- How Does Listeria Affect The Unborn Baby?
