Superbugs, or antibiotic resistant organisms, are a hidden threat both in hospital settings and within the general community.
For those who are ill and are in a healthcare facility, contracting a superbug can have debilitating effects. It can slow healing, worsen symptoms, create its own set of complications and even increase one’s risk of death.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), Streptococcus, E.coli, and Clostridium Difficile (c. diff) – these are only a handful of the types of superbugs that a patient can catch.
MRSA, in particular, is one of the most commonly contracted superbugs in hospital settings.
As a skin infection, MRSA usually begins as painful, swollen red bumps that can be warm to the touch, full of pus or other drainage, and / or accompanied by a fever. These bumps can become accesses that need surgical draining.
This harmful bacteria can also invade deeper regions of the body, causing infections in the bones, joints, surgical wounds, lungs, heart valves and the bloodstream – all of which can be potentially life-threatening.
Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on their website that incidences of life-threatening MRSA infections in healthcare settings are actually on the decline – reducing “54% between 2005 and 2011 with 30, 800 fewer severe MRSA infections.” However, they continue to warn that MRSA is “still a major threat” and that we must continue to focus on how to lower the risk of its transmission.
So what can you do to protect yourself from super bugs like MRSA while being treated in a hospital setting?
The following video by Consumer Reports shares some potentially life saving tips:
While many superbugs can be transmitted within healthcare facilities, it is also important to remember that they are also routinely contracted in community settings. In fact, a study just released in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology reveals that while cases of hospital-contracted MRSA is on the decline, cases of community-contracted MRSA are not. Their numbers have instead stabilized.
That’s why it is so important to:
- Regularly wash your hands
- Boost your immune system through good nutrition, sufficient rest and routine exercise
- Avoid antibiotics unless absolutely neccessary. If they are required, however, be sure to take their full course
- Avoid soaps, lotions and hand sanitizers that claim to be “antibacterial,” since they encourage antibiotic-resistance
- Avoid medical treatments in countries where they have higher rates of hospital acquired superbugs. Do your research!
- Take extra precautions while travelling in other countries – be sure to drink bottled water instead of tap, and ensure that your food is thoroughly cooked. Sometimes, even uncooked veggies and fruits can harbour dangerous organisms.
By taking these extra precautions, you will greatly reduce your chances of catching super bugs like MRSA. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
If you want to learn more about how and why bacteria become antibiotic-resistant, the following BBC video is a very interesting and informative watch:
Sources
“How Do Bacteria Become Resistant? – Bang Goes The Theory.” Brit Lab. BBC. Feb 2015.
“How to Not Get Sicker in the Hospital.” Consumer Reports. July 2015.
“MRSA Infection.” Diseases and Conditions. Mayoclinic.
Clinically diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 28, Pam chose an alternative approach to recovery. Now decades later and still symptom free, she coaches others on how to treat the root cause of chronic disease, using a holistic approach. She can teach you how, too.
Pam is the author of Become a Wellness Champion and founder of Live Disease Free. She is a wellness expert, coach and speaker.
The Live Disease Free Academy has helped hundreds of Wellness Champions in over 15 countries take charge of their health and experience profound improvements in their life.
