Disabilities due to leprosy can be prevented through the 3m principle

Leprosy is a dreaded disease because it can cause permanent physical disability. Currently, Indonesia ranks third after India and Brazil as the country with the most new case findings of leprosy in 2015. The risk of complications from disabilities due to leprosy can be prevented with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Here's what you can do.

Independent tips to prevent complications of disabilities due to leprosy

Until now, there is no vaccine to prevent leprosy. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are the best prevention to prevent disabilities caused by leprosy and prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the body.

In addition, you can also carry out early detection at home with the 3M principle (Checking, Protecting, and Taking Care of yourself). So if you start to observe any new symptoms or signs of disability, you can immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.

What are the 3M principles like?

1. Checking

The risk of complications due to leprosy defects can occur in any part of the body. But indeed, the most common "targets" are the eyes, hands and feet. For that, you must regularly check every inch of your body for suspicious signs.

Check your eyes and face

Look in the mirror frequently to check for changes in your eyes. The bacteria that cause leprosy that has spread to the eye can cause cloudy corneal color, inflammation of the iris which causes the eyes to appear reddish, causing eyebrows and eyelashes to fall out.

The paralysis of the muscles due to leprosy defects can also cause the eyelids not to close tightly. So, pay close attention to the signs. While still in the mirror, also check if there are changes in your face. Advanced leprosy infection can "eat away" the nasal bones so that the bridge of the nose appears to be stuck in (saddle nose).

Check the hands and fingers

The initial and most typical symptom of leprosy is dry, white skin patches similar to tinea versicolor, which feel numb (numb / numb) when touched. These patches can also be accompanied by spots or swelling.

This sensation of numbness can make you late or completely unaware when you are injured, such as being stabbed by a sharp object. Because you don't feel any sensation, you can even ignore the wound until it gets worse into a new infection. If the infection is too severe, the body part must be amputated immediately so that it does not affect other areas of the body.

So, check the condition of your hands and fingers often. Check every inch of the arm for cuts or abrasions. No matter how small the cut or abrasion is, don't ignore it.

In addition to checking for cuts and infections, also see if your arm or fingers are still functioning and moving properly. The bacteria that cause leprosy can attack the muscles of the arms, causing them to weaken or even become paralyzed. Be aware that your fingers including your wrists become droopy and cannot be straightened.

In untreated advanced leprosy, the spread of bacteria to the bones causes the tips of the fingers or toes to taper.

Check your feet and toes

Just like hands, dry white patches that feel numb, characteristic of leprosy can also appear on the feet. Therefore, do not neglect to check and rub every inch of the surface of your feet, including between your toes and the soles of your feet. Also check for signs of injury or infection.

Always try to move your legs around to make sure your leg muscles are still functioning properly. Muscle damage due to leprosy bacterial infection can cause the leg muscles to weaken and even become paralyzed, so that your toes bend and your feet eventually become splintered.

If the semper leg is left hanging, the back of the ankle muscle will shorten so that the leg cannot be lifted. The toes will drag and cause injury.

Examine body skin

Observe wherever the white patches appear all over your body, whether the patches are expanding or even cracking open. Also check for signs of bruises, abrasions, ulcers, thickened skin that is infected. Do not forget about the back which may be difficult to see. No matter how small the wound, don't ignore it.

2. Take care

Body treatments to prevent disabilities due to leprosy depend on the symptoms you feel. If you start to feel dry and red in your eyes, use eye drops containing saline (salt water). While taking a break, cover your eyes with a soft, damp cloth.

For dry skin, you can soak your hands and feet for 20 minutes every day in the water. Immediately rub gently the soaked skin without drying it first. You can also moisturize dry skin by regularly applying coconut oil or olive oil.

If there is the slightest cut or abrasion, immediately clean the wound with soap and treat it before it's too late. Afterward, cover the wound with a bandage or gauze. If there are bruises, rest the area until it heals. You can apply a special ointment to treat bruises.

To prevent the muscles in your limbs from stiffening, use your hands and feet frequently to straighten bent joints. You can also do some of these activities to prevent the stiffness from getting worse:

• Place your hands on your thighs, straighten and bend your fingers repeatedly.
• Hold the thumb with the other hand and move the joint so that it doesn't stiffen.
• If there is weakness in your fingers, strengthen them by placing your hands on the table or thighs, separating and bringing your fingers together repeatedly. Tie the fingers with 2-3 rubber bands, then separate and squeeze the fingers repeatedly (from the index finger to the little finger).

For foot care:

• Sit with legs straight forward. Wear a long cloth or sarong attached to the front of the leg and pull it towards the body.
• Tie the rubber (from the inner tube) to a table post or leg, and pull the rubber strap with the instep, then hold it for a few moments and then repeat a few times.
• Rest the part of the foot where the skin on the sole is thickened or is being injured so that it does not become infected. Don't be used as a foothold when walking. You can use a stick to balance your path.

3. Protect yourself

Scratches on clothes, pillowcases, hands, leaves, dust, hair, smoke, etc. can damage the eyes. As a result, the eyes are prone to redness, inflammation, and infection, which can lead to blindness. To prevent eye damage, protect your eyes with sunglasses from wind, dust, and pollution that can injure your eyes or make them dry. Also avoid too long activities in dusty environments, for example hoeing dry soil, harvesting rice, grinding rice, burning garbage, and so on.

To protect your hands and feet from being injured during your activities, you can wear appropriate clothing. For example, sleeves and trousers, gloves, socks, and shoes that cover the entire leg, such as boots.