ADAKAH KITA BOLEH HAMIL KETIKA MENGAMBIL PIL PERANCANG?
ADAKAH KITA BOLEH HAMIL KETIKA...
The flooding in December 2021 in Malaysia has affected 8 states across the country, with at least 48 casualties and 5 missing. More than tens of thousands of residents had to be evacuated from their homes and seek shelters during this unexpected natural disaster.
Image Credits: Time Magazine
The occurence of flood is due to the overflow of water expansion from hydrometeorological and geophysical disasters. Flood is one of the most common catastrophes in the world, which resulted in environmental and healthcare-related consequences including water and food contamination, chemical hazards, spreading of infectious and water-borne diseases, direct injuries, and psychological health disturbances. Complications such as flood-related skin diseases can also occur due to prolonged exposure to contaminated water and unhygienic conditions during floods. Flood-related skin diseases will be categorized into 5 groups as listed below:
(i) Inflammatory skin diseases (e.g. irritant contact dermatitis)
(ii) Skin infections (e.g. fungal and bacterial infections)
(iii) Traumatic skin diseases
(iv) Insect bite reaction
(v) Psycho-emotion aggravated primary skin diseases
Irritant contact dermatitis
Image Credits: DermNet NZ and MSD Manuals
Irritant contact dermatitis is a common non-allergic skin inflammation. This is caused by penetration of chemicals or physical irritants on the skin barrier, which damages the skin surface faster than the skin can repair. Flooding irritation usually occurs on the hand and foot area. Common irritants include pesticides, bleach, detergents etc from households or industries. People will usually experience redness, burning, stinging, soreness on the site of contact with irritants. Irritant contact dermatitis causes more pain than itching, and symptoms normally decrease in intensity after 1 or 2 days after there is no more exposure to the irritant.
Treatment & Prevention:
Fungal skin infection
Image Credits: Healthline and Wiley Online Library
Fungal infections do not easily manifest in normal conditions, but stagnant water and damp air make it conductive for fungi to invade. Prolonged exposure to flood water can increase risk of fungal skin infection especially on the foot area if it is submerged under contaminated water. Symptoms of fungal skin infection include itching, scaling or flaking between the toes or fingers. These are signs of intertrigo, which is the inflammation of the skin. Fungal skin infection can be treated with antifungal ointments, creams and tablets.
Treatment & Prevention:
Bacterial skin infection
Image Credit: Healthline
Our skin is a natural barrier to germs, but when the skin is broken due to cuts or grazes, the door is open for germs to enter our bodies. The risk of bacterial infection increases with open injuries and in people with underlying diseases including diabetes, chronic venous insufficiency, peripheral nerve impairment, immunosuppression. An infected wound is initially red and swelling, which will rapidly progress to vesicles or large blisters containing pus. Staphylococcal and Streptococcal organisms are the most common pathogens responsible for secondary bacterial infections. Wound infections associated with sea and fresh water contamination may also be due to Clostridium tetani (tetanus causing bacteria) and Clostridium perfringens (gas gangrene causing bacteria). If these infections are not treated properly, it may lead to long term disabilities, chronic wound or bone infection, and death.
Treatment:
Image Credits: Healthline
Flood water can increase potential risks for traumatic injuries from concealed objects in the water including sharp objects, rocks, electrical hazards, and animals displaced from flood waters. The hands and feet are usually injured by cuts, lacerations, punctures.
First aid to prevent infection in wounds:
Mosquitoes
Image Credits: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Following flood, mosquito eggs laid in the soil results in a very large population of floodwater mosquitoes. Increased rainfall also increases hatching of mosquito eggs. As people spend more time cleaning their housing area after a flood, they may get bitten by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes' bite symptoms include puffy and reddish bumps appearing a few minutes after the bite, small blisters, dark spots that look like bruises.
Treatment & prevention:
Fire ants
Image Credit: Healthline
Flood waters will not drown fire ants, but their colonies will emerge from the soil forming a loose ball, float and flow with the water until reaching a dry area or object they can crawl up on. Debris piles left from the flood waters are extremely inviting to fire ants as they seek for shelter until a mound can be re-established in the soil. Thus, ant colonies have to be dealt with quickly. Symptoms of a fire ant sting results in an intense burning sensation and white pustules will be formed at the sting site within 24 to 48 hours. If the bite is not kept clean, serious infection can occur, causing permanent scarring. In rare cases, some people may experience complications such as chest pain, nausea, dizziness, coma, or death.
Treatment & prevention:
Image Credits: International Committee of the Red Cross
Disasters are unpredictable, which leaves victims in a state of shock. Home is a place of safety and security. Thus, the traumatic experiences disrupt the lives of victims as some have lost their family members, communities, homes, valuable assets and properties. Being in a denial state makes victims more vulnerable to feelings of stress, anxiety and different maladaptive reactions. Psychological stress and anxiety associated with a flooding event can lead to psycho-emotional aggravated primary skin diseases, which exacerbate pre-existing skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, psoriasis, vitiligo, and angioedema. Other factors that can also aggravate these skin diseases include poor hygienic conditions, inadequate medication compliance, and uncontrollable environmental factors.
Ways to help flood victims in terms of mental support:
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