Dysentery is one of the oldest known and most common gastrointestinal disorders but its notoriety cannot take away the discomfort and pain it brings along with it. The disorder is a general term for a group of gastrointestinal disorders that usually attacks the intestines, particularly the colon causing inflammation. Dysentery may lead to severe diarrhea accompanied with blood and mucus in the stools, and it may prove fatal if left untreated, especially if the person suffering from it cannot replenish the fluids lost.

In most situations, signs and symptoms of dysentery are mild and most people try and use home remedies to cure it. This is, however, discouraged in Western Europe, North American and many other countries, as dysentery falls under the ‘notifiable disease’ list and local authorities need to be informed about such cases. There are two main types of dysentery; one is bacillary dysentery and the other amoebic dysentery. Bacillary dysentery is caused by a bacterium called Shingella, it is common type of this condition for people who haven’t been to the tropics. Amoebic dysentery on the other hand, is caused by Entamoeba Histolytica, a type of amoeba commonly found in the tropics.  This is probably why people living or who have recently visited the tropics and have diarrhea might have more severe symptoms as compared to people living in developed countries.

Dysentery

Symptoms of dysentery usually show after one to three days after the person has been infected with the bacteria, or what is more commonly known as the ‘incubation period’. The signs and symptoms of diarrhea are abdominal pain, watery diarrhea (with or without blood/mucus/pus), nausea and vomiting, painful passage of stools, infrequent constipation, and fever and chills.

Milder forms of dysentery can also be treated using natural remedies, in conjunction with medication provided by a health care professional. Here are some home remedies for dysentery to alleviate some of the symptoms:

Bael:
This herb is high in tannin, which is effective in treating dysentery. You can either make Bael tea or drink 1 to 2 teaspoons of the pulp of the Bael fruit twice a day with water.

Ginger:
It is used for its medicinal properties in a number of disorders. You can have it in its natural form or as a tea; it also works well with other herbs. To make an herb mix for dysentery, take 1 teaspoon of each – nutmeg, black pepper dried ginger root, cumin seeds. Add a pinch of rock salt and 2 teaspoons of psyllium husk. Have this twice a day with water.

Fenugreek:
This is known to have a cooling effect on the digestive system. You can either swallow a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds along with a cup of fresh yoghurt. Or you can extract 60 grams of fenugreek juice mixed with 6 grams of sugar. Have this mixture twice a day to get relief from dysentery.

Lemons:
They have anti-inflammatory properties and can help to gain respite from some of the symptoms of the condition. Have a cup of 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice with warm water once a day.