In the past few years, there have been so many breakthroughs in the field of medicine. And although there are still a lot more than can be discovered, one of the best things that benefit all mankind is the discovery of the vaccine.
Before the vaccine was discovered, a disease as simple as fever can cause such havoc on people that may die from it. But now, there are many diseases that can be prevented just with a simple vaccine. Check out three of them below.
- Pertussis – this illness is also known as whooping cough, and caused by Bordetella pertussis. This disease is very contagious so it is good to have a vaccine to fight against this. Pertussis might be similar to the common cold, with symptoms that include having a mild cough, fever and a runny nose. Afterwards, a person suffering from pertussis will have coughing fits that may last for weeks. The term “whooping cough” comes from the whooping sound one has to take after the coughing fit, some of which are so bad that those affected may feel very tired or even suffer from a broken rib. This illness can affect people of all ages, and for those are very young, it may lead to serious complications.
- Diphtheria – this illness can be very serious because although there are medicines available to treat the disease, there are times that the serious becomes too advanced that it can damage important organs such as the heart, kidneys and even the whole nervous system. Although it is rare to get this disease, especially if you come from a developed country, around 3% of those who get the disease, unfortunately, die from it. The symptoms of diphtheria are simple enough. They may have a sore throat, fever, and chills and have difficulty breathing. Some say that a sure sign of having this illness is if you get a thick, grey patch in your throat. If you have not yet gotten the vaccine, it is important to go to the doctor right away if you come into contact with someone who has the disease or is a carrier. If you are going to travel to a developing country, it is very important that you get the vaccine to reduce the risk of being infected.
- Tetanus – another disease that is highly preventable but if contracted it can lead to very serious complications. This bacterial disease when in its advanced stages can create havoc on the nervous system, especially in the neck and jaw area. It can become fatal when lockjaw happens because you will have a hard time breathing. The symptoms of someone who has been affected include having a difficult time swallowing, stiffness in your abdomen and neck area and body spasms. What’s good about this disease is that it is not contagious, and it is also rare in developed countries.
The diseases mentioned above are easily preventable with a vaccine. The good news is that there is a vaccine that can address all three of them at once. Learn more about the tdap vaccine and where to get it from your doctor so that you can easily lessen the risk of getting the diseases mentioned above.
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