Every now and then we will hear the words “staph infection”, but what is it?
Regardless where you hear it from it seems to be a very obscure term that does not really detail what it is, all one understands is the word “infection”. The word infection obviously indicates that there is something wrong with the body. But what exactly is a “staph infection”, what does it look like? How does this infection occur in the human body? In this article I will attempt to explain exactly what this infection entails and hopefully will clear up any confusion that you might have.
Staph infections are mainly caused by a bacterium which is called “Staphylococcus”, hence the word “Staff”. This type of bacteria is normally found on the human skin. Because of its close proximity to opening such as the mouth, ears, nose and other body openings the staff bacteria can easily enter the human body with little difficulty. Boils are generally the first visible symptom.
Usually the symptoms are as follows:
• Boils
• Scaled skin
• Small skin infections
It is important to understand that Staph infection can be contagious, and is usually passed on if one person has the bacteria and the other person has some form of cut or abrasion to the point where the skin is ruptured. The bacteria can then be passed on via the boil to the abrasion or cut, from one person the other. This is very important to understand especially for those who participate in contact sports.
The best way to avoid Staph infections is to maintain a clean skin by washing regularly and showering often especially after sporting activities. Most staph infections are easily treated with anti-biotics and penicillin. Most people that suffer tenuously often make the mistake of not being diagnosed early on during the infection. If left too late the Staph infection can grow in size and may cause permanent damage to the infected area.
If one is infected by Staph and under goes treatment , the infected usually clears up between 10 and 20 days of treatment.