Sepsis is an extensive inflammation throughout the body that could cause tissue damage, organ failure and even lead to death. It occurs when the immune system has a dangerous reaction to an infection. When there’s an infection in the body, the immune system works to fight it. But sometimes the immune system stops fighting the infection and begins damaging normal tissues and organs, leading to a widespread inflammation throughout the body.
Sepsis can affect anybody, but some people are at high risk.
- People with any kind of infection, especially bacteremia.
- People older than the age of 65, pregnant people, newborns and infants.
- People with weak immune systems.
- People with severe injuries, such as large wounds and burns.
- People with medical conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer and kidney disease.
Sepsis is a life threatening condition that affects more than 1.7 million people in the United States each year. Sepsis Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about sepsis, its symptoms, and ultimately increase survival rates of sepsis patients. This article aims to support these goals by educating you on sepsis, its symptoms and how to prevent it.
Sepsis symptoms differ depending on the type of infection in the body. Some common symptoms of sepsis includes;
- Urinary issues: Sepsis may cause urinary issues, such as reduced urination or an urge to urinate more than often.
- Hyperventilation: Another symptom of sepsis is hyperventilation, it is characterized by rapid breathing or shortness of breath.
- Fever or Hypothermia: This is also called low body temperature. It is a situation whereby the body’s temperature is dangerously low, causing brain and body malfunction.
- Low energy/Weakness: this may include feeling very tired almost throughout the day, and difficulty sleeping.
How Do I Prevent Sepsis?
The best way to reduce the risk of sepsis is to avoid infections. The various ways to prevent sepsis include;
- Practice good hygiene: This includes frequently washing your hands, preparing food safely, purifying water before drinking etc.
- Proper care of wounds: When wounds are left exposed and not properly cared for, they may lead to infection which could cause sepsis. Hence, it is important to clean cuts and wounds and keep them covered using clean medical tools.
- Routine medical care: Routine medical care is very important in the prevention of sepsis, especially for people living with chronic conditions such as, diabetes, kidney disease etc.
- Getting immediate medical attention: With sepsis, time is of the essence. Hence, it is vital to seek medical attention immediately if you suspect an infection of any kind. Sepsis can be prevented when infections are identified and treated early on.
Diagnosis For Sepsis
A single means of diagnosing sepsis does not exist yet. Hence, healthcare professionals use a series of tests, such as blood tests and X-ray scans to identify the infections, including identifying and monitoring the symptoms of sepsis.
If you or anyone you know has at least one of the symptoms listed above, kindly visit a medical professional for a thorough check up. It is also important to carry out frequent routine check ups, this helps increase the chance of identifying any infection on time.
Sepsis, although a life threatening condition can be treated in various ways such as; the usage of antibiotics, Vasopressors medications, surgery etc. Upon surviving sepsis and returning home, one may experience unpleasant symptoms, and have difficulty in performing simple tasks such as; sitting up, going to the bathroom, etc.
If you or anyone you know is going through sepsis recovery, know that you’re not alone. At Vitalis Healthcare, we offer professional home care services. Our team of experienced registered nurses and professional caregivers are constantly and efficiently trained to provide the best quality care to our patients.
To learn more about our services and how best we can help you, kindly book a free consultation to get in touch with our client care coordinator.
At Vitalis Healthcare, your well-being is our priority!
Phone Number: 240.716.6874
Email: info@vitalishealthcare.com
Location: We provide our services in every county in the State of Maryland, United States of America.
Office Address: 8757 Georgia Avenue Suite 440 Silver Spring, MD 20910