Hansen’s disease or leprosy disease does not usually spread very easily. Especially when the person who is having it and is being treated for the same, is less likely to spread the disease. Those who have the disease and are not getting treatment can spread the disease to others.

It usually gets transmitted through the air. The infected person releases the tiny droplets which contain the Mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria that causes the disease. These bacteria get released into the air when the infected person simply breathes, coughs, and sneezes openly.

The bacteria released contaminates the environment and people who are around the infected person may inhale the tiny droplets, which can potentiate their chances of developing the disease. The disease can also happen after sexual contact with the infected person.

Even if a healthy person inhales the droplets through the air, their body may fight off the bacteria due to a strong immune response. People with high immunity may not get easily affected by the infectious bacteria, as their body is capable of warding off the disease.

Should you have a fear of contagion?

Leprosy is not that contagious. It is not easily spread from person to person. A normal individual is capable of warding off the leprosy bacteria with their immune system’s quick response. Those with weak immunity may not be able to keep themselves protected against the disease. The disease usually spreads when you are in close physical proximity to the infected individual. So, try to avoid being around an infected individual.

In case you cannot help but be around them even for a short time, then you must see your doctor immediately. People with poor immunity are more prone to infection. Early diagnosis and treatment will prevent the progression of the disease and will eventually reduce the risk of health complications. Additionally,children are more susceptible to infection, therefore, they need extra care and attention.

What are the symptoms of leprosy?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the person with leprosy may show some main symptoms that are listed below:

• Appearance of painless patches on the skin, which are lighter than the normal skin tone.
• The patches on the skin cause loss of sensation or numbness.
• Numbness and loss of sensation in the arms, legs, feet, and hands because of nerve damage.
• Lump formation all over the skin.
• Muscle weakness.

Some people may also experience several additional symptoms of this disease, which include:

• Enlargement of peripheral nerves.
• Loss of eyebrows and eyelashes.
• Thickening and stiffening of skin.
• Nasal congestion and nose bleeding.

Those with an advanced stage might experience some severe symptoms of the disease, which are as follows:

• Disfiguration of the nose due to nasal inner skin damage.
• Loss of vision.
• Paralysis and crippling of hands or feet.
• Permanent damage to the legs and hands.
• Appearance of ulcers on the bottom of the feet.
• Shortening of the limbs, feet, and hands.

The progression of the disease potentiates the risk of health complications, such as kidney failure, blindness, hair loss, disfiguration of face, hands, and legs, erectile dysfunction in men, and severe muscle weakness. However, this can be prevented through treatment. The sooner the person takes action to get the diagnosis and treatment, the faster the recovery. Timely treatment will eliminate the risk of health complications due to disease progression.

The development of the symptoms might happen very slowly. The bacteria may take a long time to give indications. The person affected by the infection may be totally unaware of the underlying disease. The symptoms may appear after some years.

Generally, it takes between 3 to 5 years for the symptoms to be visible. Sometimes, it might even take a decade or two for the symptoms to show up. This makes the disease highly undetectable.

Diagnostic evaluation of leprosy

For performing a diagnostic test, your healthcare provider will conduct physical examinations and collect some samples from the skin, to be sent to the lab for further examinations. This procedure is known as skin biopsy, which involves the removal of a small portion of your skin and the specimen will be tested in the lab for confirming the disease and its type.

In case of nerve damage, the nerve sample will be sent for biopsy. The specimen will be checked under the microscope and several tests will be done on that, which will be helpful in ruling out the other types of skin disease.

Treatment of leprosy

Based on the diagnostic test report, your healthcare provider will prescribe you some medications for treatment. If the disease is affecting the skin, they will prescribe antibiotics, which are medications that prevent the progression of the infection. The treatment may involve a combination of several medications, as it might require more than one type of drug to control and cure the condition. One must get the condition treated in time; otherwise, its progression can cause serious health damage.

Leprosy is generally a chronic health condition, which is caused by a type of bacteria known as Mycobacterium leprae. It affects the skin and peripheral nerves of the arms, legs, and other body parts. If it is left untreated, it becomes highly contagious and can be transmitted through the release of droplets from the nose and mouth while breathing, sneezing, or coughing.

Being in proximity to an individual who has this disease potentiates the risk of spreading. One must get timely treatment, otherwise, the disease will progress, leading to severe disfigurement and permanent disabilities.

The good news is that it is a curable condition. Its progression can be prevented with the help of antibiotics treatment. With timely treatment, the risk of complications and transmission of the disease can also be prevented.

Symptoms of leprosy

The disease mostly affects the skin and peripheral nerves that lie outside your brain and spinal cord. The individual who contracted this disease develops some main symptoms, such as skin sores,skin ulcers, lumps, and stubborn bumps that do not go away and persist for several weeks or months. The skin turns dry, stiff, and thick. The person may also get lumps or swelling on their face. The symptoms of nerve damage include:

• Muscle weakness
• Numbness and loss of feeling or sensation in the affected area
• Vision problems

The person might develop the symptoms right away. It might take years for the disease to fully manifest. Some might experience the symptoms between 3 to 5 years or so, while others might remain asymptomatic for 20 years or so when the symptoms start showing. Since the duration of development of the disease is too long, it can be difficult to diagnose. One might live with the condition for years totally unaware.

Causes of leprosy

The bacteria that is responsible for causing the disease is Mycobacterium leprae. It is not highly contagious. However, it gets easily spread when the person has not taken the treatment in time and the disease has already caused significant damage.

It is an airborne disease. The bacteria spread when an infected individual releases tiny droplets in the air, which usually happens through breathing, sneezing, or coughing. The reason for the transmission of bacterium is contact with the nasal fluids of the individual affected by Mycobacterium leprae. So, one must keep a safe distance from a leprosy patient.

Diagnosis of leprosy

The healthcare provider will conduct the patient’s physical examination and collect some samples from the area of the skin that is affected. These samples will be sent to the laboratory for further examination to identify the cause. This process of collection of samples is known as skin biopsy. In addition to that, the healthcare provider will also perform several other tests on the patient’s skin to confirm the disease.

Treatment of leprosy

After performing the diagnostic tests, the healthcare provider will confirm the type of leprosy that the person has caught. They will prescribe some antibiotic medications to prevent the disease progression. They may prescribe the patient a combination of several different antibiotics, which is termed Multidrug therapy (MDT).

The drugs will be prescribed according to the severity of the disease. Those with mild to moderate degrees of leprosy will need fewer medications and duration of treatment, while those having severe forms of leprosy will be put on multiple antibiotic treatment and their treatment duration will be long.

The treatment for skin damage and nerve damage will be different. Skin damage will be treated with antibiotics while nerve damage requires another kind of treatment since antibiotics cannot treat nerve damage.

Complications

When treatment is not taken early, then the progression of the disease can give rise to complications such as:

• Hair loss
• Blindness
• Infertility
• Iritis
• Disfiguration of the face and other body parts
• Muscle weakness
• Erectile dysfunction in men
• Kidney failure
• Severe nosebleeds due to damage to the nose
• Severe and permanent nerve damage to legs, arms, and feet

Leprosy prevention

You need to maintain a safe distance from an individual affected by leprosy. Avoid physical proximity with them. If any friend of yours or any relative has caught the disease, then you must see your doctor immediately. The possibility of disease transfer is quite high in such cases. Early detection and timely treatment will eliminate your risk of developing the disease and related complications.

A chronic neurological condition like migraines does not have any permanent cure, butthe symptoms can be significantly reduced and prevented from getting worse through treatment and home remedies. This incurable condition is manageable to a great extent. Its frequency can be controlled too.

During migraines, the person experiences frequent and long-lasting episodes of intense headaches, and throbbing pain in their forehead, temples, and neck. Before a migraine occurs, the person gets several indications, which are the pre-migraine triggers. You can stop a migraine by acknowledging the triggers. Following are the ways in which one can alleviate the migraine pain:

Take medications on time – Migraines are manageable when you combine home remedies with treatment. Your healthcare provider will prescribe you some medications to alleviate the pain. They may also prescribe some medications to control the pre-migraine symptoms, which will stop the progression of symptoms into migraines.

The medications can be in the form of pills, shots, or nasal sprays. They work byconstricting the blood vessels and blocking the pathways in the brain. Vasoconstriction in the brain relieves the ache and reduces the throbbing pain.

Watch what you eat – Certain types of foods can contribute to the reduction of migraine headaches. It is necessary to control your diet if you wish to manage your condition well. It may not happen suddenly, but for the desired improvement, you have to follow a diet regularly.

According to the Healthline website, adding foods that are rich sources of magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids will reinforce the management of the condition. Also, those who follow a ketogenic diet, which is a diet that involves low carbohydrates and high fat, will be able to overcome frequent migraines.

3. Drink plenty of water – Dehydration is the most common trigger for migraines. Lack of hydration gives rise to frequent migraine headaches. This is why it is necessary to keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Adequate hydration levels help in alleviating the symptoms or triggers of migraines.
4. Perform yoga – Yoga is a mind and body balancing practice, which relieves all the stress and tension. Yoga is a combination of mindful breathing and physical postures that can be beneficial in preventing migraines. It brings down stress and anxiety, which are the contributors to intense headaches. Yoga is an amazing therapy for those who suffer from migraines.
5. Get enough sleep – Various studies have revealed that lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep can worsen the triggers of migrain eattacks. The hormones go out of balance, which is why the pain can be felt more intensely. One must sleep at the same time regularly, as the body gets used to the time, which causes the person to fall asleep easily.
6. Manage stress – Stress is one of the most common triggers of migraines. Learning to manage stress will give you visible results, as you will see that the frequency of migraines has reduced significantly. There are several techniques that can be helpful in eliminating stress. You can do meditation, put on peaceful music, go for a walk, do some leisure activities, etc.
7. Use temperature therapy – To perform this you can prefer cold packs or warm packs compresses for numbing the pain. When you place the compress on the pain area, the blood vessels constrict, which limits the flow of blood through them. Due to restrictions in the flow of blood, the pain becomes dull and subsides. You can place the compresses on your forehead, temple, and on the back of your neck.
8. Find a quiet room to relax – You might become highly sensitive to the noises, which can trigger migraine symptoms. So, you must shut out the noises and relax in a quiet room. Do not go to places that have loud music on, as you can easily get a migraine.
9. Dim the lights – Brightness and harsh lights can also be a trigger to migraine attacks. The person might develop photosensitivity which potentiates the risk of migraine headaches. You can turn off the lights and sit for a while in a dark room if you begin to experience some discomfort. Also, while stepping out in the sun, you can make use of sunglasses, which will prevent the light from causing headaches.
10. Identify your triggers – You have to become aware of your triggers and the patterns of symptoms. By doing so, you will be able to prevent a migraine attack from happening in the middle of something important.

The lowdown

Migraine is a chronic neurological condition that is incurable. Mild and moderate degrees of headaches can be managed with home remedies and lifestyle changes, but severe migraines require medical attention. It can be a symptom of some underlying condition, which is why it needs to be examined.

Your healthcare provider will prescribe medications to overcome the throbbing pain and reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Also, home remedies and lifestyle changes are as important too, as they can contribute to the treatment.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is caused by a slow-growing bacteria named Mycobacterium leprae. It is a chronic condition that can cause damage to the skin, eyes, inside of the nose, muscles, and nerves. It can be spread through physical proximity. It is an airborne infection, which spreads as the infected person breaths, sneezes, or coughs.

The bacteria, Mycobacterium leprae is responsible for majorly affecting the skin and causing damage to peripheral nerves.It is a slow-growing bacteria, but its progression can be prevented and reversed. Leprosy is a curable disease. When the treatment is taken on time, the risk of health complications can be eliminated.

The infected individual releases tiny droplets in the air, which contain infectious bacteria. These droplets get released into the environment and if a healthy person inhales these bacteria, they might get infected too. This is why one must maintain a safe distance from a patient affected with leprosy.

Is leprosy contagious? 

Sitting next to the infected person or having some physical contact can potentiate the risk of transfer of bacteria. Leprosy is not very contagious when the person is taking the treatment properly. It becomes highly contagious only when the person has left their condition untreated, and the disease has caused severe damage to their health. Also, sexual contact with an affected person must be avoided, as the risk of transfer is high.

Who is more likely to get leprosy?

Children are more susceptible to this infection. Therefore, utter care must be taken. If you have been around any person who has this disease, or a friend, a member of your family, or a relative has got this infection, then you must see your healthcare provider immediately, screening tests will reveal if you have any risk of developing the disease. The disease develops slowly and therefore, it might take several years for the person to develop the symptoms of leprosy.

People with low immunity or immunity-related disorders must be extra careful, as the possibility of progression of this disease is high among them. The ability to fight off the infection is weak among them, which is why they are more prone to the infection.

Is leprosy curable?

Fortunately, this disease is curable. Early screening and detection of the disease will be helpful in starting the treatment. When the treatment is begun on time, the progression of the disease will be prevented, and the condition can be reversed. The person can completely recover from the condition.

The healthcare provider will prescribe antibiotics to get rid of the infection. The duration of recovery may differ depending on the individual response to the treatment.First, the healthcare provider will order some diagnostic reports, which will confirm the disease, its type, and its severity. Then they begin the treatment.

What are the symptoms of leprosy?

Some obvious signs and symptoms related to leprosy are given as follows:

• Development of flat patches on the skin surface. They might be a little lighter and uneven in appearance than your normal skin color.
• Small lumps, nodules, or sores appear on the skin.
• Skin turns dry, thick, and stiff.
• Appearance of painless ulcers on the soles of the feet.
• Swelling and lumps on face and earlobes. The swelling does not cause any pain.
• Nerve damage in eyes, legs, arms, etc.
• Loss of eyelashes and eyebrows.

The symptoms of this disease usually take a very long time to appear. It might take 3 to 5 years, or the person may have the infection in their body for up to 20 years but they might remain asymptomatic when the symptoms start to show.

Types of leprosy

According to the Cleveland Clinic website, leprosy is classified into three main types, they are:

1. Tuberculoid leprosy – Also known as paucibacillary leprosy. This type of leprosy usually gives rise to mild symptoms. The individual may develop a few skin sores. It can be easily treated with medications.
2. Lepromatous leprosy – Also termed multibacillary leprosy, individuals with this type of leprosy develop skin sores widespread around their body and lesions that affect the skin, nerves, and organs.
3. Borderline leprosy – In this type, the person experiences a combination of symptoms of both tuberculoid and lepromatous. It is also termed dimorphous leprosy.

How to prevent leprosy?

The best way to prevent the risk of developing leprosy is to get diagnostic tests for up to 5 years and if the infection is detected then getting it treated very early. This is applicable to people who had a close encounter with the person who has this disease.

Diagnosis and treatment of leprosy

The healthcare provider will perform a combination of several diagnostic tests to confirm the disease and identify the type of it and its severity. Based on the reports, they will begin the treatment. The treatment will be given through antibiotics and if it is a case of peripheral nerve damage, they will prescribe some other treatment, because antibiotics will not work in that case.

Leprosy is not spread easily from person to person. The bacteria get transmitted from an infected individual to a healthy individual when they remain in close contact for a prolonged time. However, it is highly contagious when the infected person is not getting the treatment and they have reached the advanced stage of the disease.

The disease gets spread through exposure to Mycobacterium leprae, which is the bacteria that causes leprosy or Hansen’s disease. These bacteria are released into the air through breathing, sneezing, or coughing. The infected individual releases tiny droplets of moisture that contain the bacteria. These moist droplets are released from the nose and mouth.

Being in close and frequent contact with the infected person causes the transmission of the bacteria because the healthy individual inhales the tiny droplets from the contaminated air.People who are not getting treatment for their condition are susceptible to health complications, and they may spread the disease more easily than those who are getting the treatment.

Causes of Leprosy

Mycobacterium leprae is a type of bacteria that leads to Hansen’s disease or leprosy. This is a slow-growing bacteria that takes a long time to fully infect the person. The bacteria cause gradual damage, which is why the person may not be even aware that they have caught the infection.

The bacteria generally take around three to five years to show the symptoms and give indications. In some cases, the symptoms might take a decade or two to finally indicate the disease that has been underlying. The growth and development of the bacteria can be effectively prevented with the help of antibiotic medications. Antibiotics help fight off bacteria and reverse the disease.

Risk of contagion

Most people are naturally capable of warding off the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria, as the immune system rapidly kicks into action to effectively fight off the bacteria.But for people with low immunity, it becomes quite tough to suppress the growth of the bacteria, and therefore, they are more likely to develop this disease.

Leprosy is an airborne disease that spreads via physical proximity. The tiny droplets get released into the environment when the infected person simply exhales, coughs, or sneezes. The risk of contagion is very high when the condition has been left untreated and the disease has progressed to an advanced stage.

Can leprosy be cured?

Leprosy is a curable condition. Timely treatment will reduce the recovery time. The patient will be put on a combination of several medications, which will fight off the disease and restore their health. Generally, the healthcare provider prescribes a combination of drugs known as multi-drug therapy (MDT) to cure the condition. In general, the average recovery time is around one to two years. During the process of recovery, the healthcare provider will closely monitor the progress for a couple of years.

When is the right time to see the doctor?

If you develop skin sores or lesions that are painless, bumpy, patchy, and appear lighter tone than the rest of the skin, then you must see your healthcare provider immediately. These are the indications that hint towards the disease. It is necessary that the skin sores are a sign of leprosy, it could be due to other reasons.

To confirm that the skin lesions are a result of leprosy, the healthcare provider will suggest some diagnostic tests, which will reveal the true cause of the development of lesions. If the reports confirm the presence of Mycobacterium leprae, then treatment will begin based on the type of leprosy and its severity.

What are the types of leprosy?

There are three types of leprosy. It could be differentiated by the symptoms. The treatment depends upon the type of leprosy the person has. Three types of leprosy are given as follows:

• Tuberculoid leprosy – In this type, the person experiences mild symptoms. They may develop some minor skin-related problems such as patches, lesions, and skin discoloration. The nerves under the skin might get damaged, as a result, the person may lose sensation and the area becomes numb.
• Lepromatous leprosy – This type is a more severe form of leprosy. In addition to skin damage, it also causes severe muscle weakness and damage to the kidneys, nose, legs, and arms. It is more contagious compared to the tuberculoid type.
• Borderline leprosy – In this type, the person develops the symptoms of both tuberculoid as well as lepromatous leprosy.

Diagnostic evaluation and treatment of leprosy

Your healthcare provider will conduct a skin biopsy by collecting a sample of your skin. They will order a diagnostic report. The sample will be sent to the lab for evaluation.The lab expert will examine the specimen under the microscope to check for the signs of Mycobacterium leprae. Through this, they will confirm the presence of bacteria and the form of leprosy.

The reports will be generated, which will be checked by the healthcare provider. They will begin the treatment process. They will prescribe multi-drug therapy (MDT) which involves a combination of multiple drugs, which will treat the condition.