Search by Blog
Read by Category
Latest Blogs
Trending Tags

Your healing journey continues beyond this blog

Find the right products for better recovery at online store
Buy Now
Cart Image
Infections & their types
Infections & their types

The microbes are ubiquitous and are found in water, air and soil. The fact is that not all microbes or germs are harmful, but some of them are good as well. The microbes cause illness only when they enter the part of the body where they are not supposed to be.

Thank God we are blessed with a defence system –immune system, which acts as a barrier against these germs, but surpassing this immune barrier causes infections.

Infections can be classified into four main categories based on their causative agent:
Bacterial, Viral, Fungal and Parasitic.

– Bacterial Infection:
Bacteria enter the body through the openings like mouth and nose, as well as cuts, scrapes, and even surgical incisions. Infection may also be transmitted by sharing towels, razors or spoons.

Bacteria are both ‘Bad’ and ‘Good’ and should not blame them for being around.

There are some ‘Bad Bacteria’ that are responsible for a number of diseases like Cholera (Vibrio cholerae), Tetanus (Clostridium tetani), Botulism (Clostridium botulinum) and many more.

Our body is habitat for some ‘Good Bacteria’ too that reside in our gut. These help our body in food digestion, nutrients absorption and production of several vitamins including folic acid, niacin, and Vitamins B6 and B12.

Whenever we encounter any bacterial infection we usually take antibiotics and these are supposed to be really effective in eliminating the infection. But many a times these antibiotics disturb the microflora present in the body and kill the helpful bacteria also. This creates imbalance of bacteria in the body leading diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems.

The real threat to humans is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics as it leads to Antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The antibiotics are losing effectiveness as the bacteria are cleverly mutating, gaining resistance and becoming superbugs.

– Viral Infections:
Viruses are responsible for a wide range of infectious diseases like AIDS, Hepatitis, Flu, Covid 19 and many more.

Like bacteria they also enter the body through the openings like nose and mouth. They also spread through body fluids like contaminated blood and sexual activity.

Antibiotics are effective against only bacteria and the viral infections can be dealt with vaccines and antivirals. To prevent viral infections vaccines are administered timely since birth and thereafter after regular intervals. Many of the vaccines require booster doses for life-long immunity.

– Fungal Infections:
The fungal infections are generally harmless but more annoying. These infections may appear on any part of the body from ringworm of the scalp, athlete’s foot in between the toes, vaginal yeast infection in women are few of them.

Fungal spores are found on dead, decayed and rotten vegetation. Inhaling fungal spores is one of the most common ways to develop an internal fungal infection.

The fungal infection can be treated by specific anti-fungal medications. These can be in the form of cream or ointment, suppository, or pill form.

– Parasitic Infections:
Parasitic infections like malaria, are the most common and are spread are spread through the bites of infected mosquitoes.. Other infections include Chagas disease, Cysticercosis (by tapeworm), Trichomoniasis (a sexually transmitted infection).

The presence of parasite can be easily detected with the help of blood, or stool test. The treatment of the parasitic infections depends on the type of infection and how far the infection has progressed.

Ways to Prevent

Primarily follow all the habits what we were doing for the past two years to keep the infection away

  • Wash hands with soap and water often
  • If water is not available use hand sanitizers instead
  • Maintain personal hygiene
  • Practice cough and sneeze etiquette
  • Oral hygiene is crucial to keep gut infections at bay
  • Keep immunization on records
  • Practice safe sex
  • Keep body dry and clean and wear breathable clothes to combat fungal infection

Study published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that washing hands regularly reduces Diarrhea infection by 23-40%.

Cancer patients bear risk of infection as they have compromised immune system due to medication and disease. They should monitor the signs and symptoms of infection and talk to the doctor immediately.

We @DattMediproducts suggest that infections should be taken seriously and seek medical advice before it worsens.

Follow the above healthy habits and stay safe.

Visit www.dattmedi.com for more infomation.
Share:
Recent Blogs
Unilateral leg swelling due to circulation issue

Some swelling in both legs after a long day of standing or sitting is common and usually nothing to worry about. But when one leg is noticeably more swollen than the other, it’s worth understanding why — and knowing when it’s a signal to see a doctor rather than just rest and elevate.

Common Reasons One Leg May Swell More Than the Other

One-sided leg swelling can have several causes, ranging from prolonged standing or reduced movement to conditions such as chronic venous insufficiency, lymphedema, infection, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Sudden or unexplained swelling should be medically evaluated, particularly when it is accompanied by pain, warmth, redness, or other concerning symptoms.

1. Impaired Circulation

When the veins in one leg are less efficient at moving blood back toward the heart, fluid collects in that leg’s tissue — this shows up as more noticeable swelling on that side.

Conditions that can cause this imbalance include:

  • Varicose veins
  • Chronic venous insufficiency
  • Reduced muscle activity in one leg
  • Weak calf muscle pump function
  • Lymphedema
If you're on your feet for long stretches, our guide on why prolonged standing causes leg swelling explains the exact mechanism — and what actually helps. For a deeper look at circulation and healing, see compression therapy and wound healing.

2. Postural Habits

Consistently favoring one leg — standing with weight shifted to one side, sitting cross-legged, or always sleeping on the same side — can slow circulation on that one side over time & cause mild swelling in one leg or ankle. However persistent swelling should be evaluated by a medical professional. 

Small daily patterns that contribute:

  • Standing with weight shifted onto one leg
  • Sitting cross-legged for extended periods
  • Sleeping consistently on one side

Staying mobile and, where appropriate, using compression bandages can help counter this.

3. Past Injury or Surgery

Scar tissue or structural changes from a past injury, surgery, or procedure involving lymph nodes can reduce normal fluid drainage in that limb — making it swell more easily than the other.

Examples include:

  • Fractures or ligament injuries
  • Knee, hip, or ankle surgery
  • Medical procedures involving lymph nodes

If lymphatic drainage is part of what you’re managing, our guide on lymphedema care and management covers this in depth. Recovery-stage support from the orthopedic products range may also help during this period.

4. Reduced movement or muscle activity

When one leg is less active than the other, the muscles in that leg may not contract as frequently. Normally, muscle contractions especially in the calf — help push blood and fluid back toward the heart. If movement is reduced because of pain, weakness, limited mobility, prolonged sitting, or favoring one leg, this muscle-pump action can become less effective, allowing fluid to accumulate in the tissues and making the leg appear more swollen.

Reduced movement can occur after an injury or surgery, or when someone has difficulty walking normally. In these situations, swelling may be temporary. However, persistent, significant, or sudden one-sided swelling should not automatically be attributed to inactivity, as other causes such as a blood clot or infection may need to be ruled out.

5. Medical Conditions That Can Cause One-Sided Swelling

Uneven leg swelling can also be caused by several medical conditions that affect the lymphatic system, veins, or tissues of the leg.

Some important possibilities include:

  • Lymphedema:
    This occurs when the lymphatic system cannot drain fluid effectively, causing fluid to build up in the tissues. It can affect one leg or both and may cause persistent swelling, heaviness, tightness, or thickening of the skin.
  • Infection or inflammation:
    An infection such as cellulitis can cause localized swelling along with redness, warmth, tenderness, and sometimes fever. Inflammation from an injury or another underlying condition can also cause swelling in one leg.
  • Chronic venous insufficiency:
    When the veins have difficulty returning blood from the legs to the heart, blood can pool in the lower leg. This may cause swelling, heaviness, aching, skin discoloration, or changes around the ankles. Symptoms may become more noticeable after prolonged standing or sitting.
  • Deep vein thrombosis (DVT):
    A DVT is a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg. It can cause sudden or new swelling in one leg, sometimes accompanied by pain, tenderness, warmth, or redness. DVT is important to recognize because a clot can potentially travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.

When Uneven Leg Swelling Needs Medical Attention

Occasional mild swelling after a long day is usually fine. Get it checked promptly if the swelling is sudden, painful, or comes with redness, warmth, or breathing symptoms — these can indicate a blood clot or other condition needing urgent care.

See a doctor or other healthcare professional if the swelling is:

  • Sudden and painful
  • Accompanied by redness or warmth
  • Associated with tenderness in the leg
  • Linked to shortness of breath or chest discomfort
  • Worsening over time or not improving with rest and elevation
  • Skin changed or unexplained discomfort. 
If you experience shortness of breath or chest pain alongside sudden leg swelling, treat it as an emergency and seek immediate medical care — this combination can indicate a blood clot that has traveled to the lungs.

Managing Mild Leg Swelling

For swelling linked to circulation or posture rather than injury, movement, elevation, and — where appropriate — graduated compression are the most effective everyday tools.

Helpful daily practices:

  • Elevating the legs during rest
  • Moving regularly after long periods of sitting or standing
  • Gentle leg exercises to activate calf muscles
  • Wearing supportive footwear

Many people managing varicose veins or mild venous insufficiency use the Velcare® Varicose Vein Compression Stockings for daily graduated compression. If you’re considering compression support, correct sizing matters — see our guide on measuring and fitting compression garments correctly to get the fit right the first time. Our comparison of compression bandages vs. compression stockings can also help you decide which is right for your situation.

Our comparison of compression bandages vs. compression stockings can also help you understand which option may be appropriate for different situations.

Supporting Healthy Circulation

Mild, occasional asymmetrical swelling isn’t unusual — but persistent one-sided swelling should always be assessed by a healthcare professional to rule out more serious causes. Paying attention to posture, movement, and circulation day to day goes a long way toward keeping both legs comfortable.

Related reading:

Poor posture while sitting causing back pain

Back pain rarely comes from one dramatic moment. More often, it builds slowly — from how you sit, how you lift, and how much you move (or don’t) during an ordinary day.

The good news: because these habits are small and repeated, small corrections add up fast. Here are the five biggest everyday culprits, and what to actually do about each one.

1. Poor Posture During Screen Time

Slouching while looking at a screen pulls your head forward and loads your spine with extra weight it wasn’t built to carry in that position — over hours, this causes fatigue, stiffness, and pain.

Fix it:

  • Sit with your spine neutral and shoulders relaxed, not hunched forward
  • Raise screens to eye level so you’re not bending your neck down
  • Use an ergonomic chair or a lumbar support cushion
  • Stand or stretch every 30–45 minutes
If you're managing an existing strain or a support during long desk hours, a soft posture corrector can help retrain alignment. For a deeper look at why this matters beyond just back pain, see the health benefits of good posture.

2. Incorrect Lifting Techniques

Bending at the waist to lift — instead of bending your knees — puts sudden, concentrated pressure on your lower back. Do this repeatedly and you risk a genuine muscle strain, not just soreness.

Fix it:

  • Bend your knees, not your back
  • Keep the object close to your body
  • Keep your back straight through the lift
  • Never twist your torso while carrying weight
If a strain has already happened, our guide on muscle strain causes and recovery covers what actually supports healing — and what can slow it down. Muscle strains are also common in athletes, particularly in sports involving sprinting, jumping, kicking, and other explosive movements. For a broader look at sports-related orthopedic injuries, see our guide on orthopedic injuries in athletes.

3. Sitting for Long Periods Without Movement

Long, unbroken sitting stiffens the back and hips and slows circulation — and reduced blood flow means more muscle fatigue and discomfort, even without any single “wrong” movement.

Fix it:

  • Stand or walk for a few minutes every hour
  • Add simple back and leg stretches through the day
  • Use a standing desk if it’s available to you

Circulation-focused support can also help here. Compression bandages are sometimes used to support circulation during long periods of inactivity, particularly for the legs.

4. Weak Core Muscles

Your abdominal and lower-back muscles share the job of stabilizing your spine. When they’re weak, your spine has to work harder on its own — and that imbalance shows up as fatigue and pain over time.

Fix it — simple strengthening moves:

  • Bridges
  • Planks
  • Pelvic tilts
These don't need to be intense. Consistency matters more than difficulty here.

5. Lifestyle Factors That Strain the Spine

Extra body weight, an unsupportive mattress, and chronic stress all add ongoing load to your spine — none of these show up as a single injury, but together they compound.

Fix it:

  • Maintain a healthy body weight
  • Choose a mattress that supports spinal alignment
  • Build in relaxation techniques to ease muscle tension
If back pain has become a longer-term, ongoing issue rather than an occasional twinge, our guide on the role of exercise in chronic pain management covers how movement, not prolonged rest, can be part of a better long-term strategy. 

A physiotherapist can also assess what’s contributing to your pain and help you build an exercise and recovery plan suited to your needs. For lower back-specific support, a lumbo-sacral support may provide additional support during certain activities or periods of recovery.

When Back Pain Needs Medical Attention

Occasional discomfort that improves with posture changes and movement is common and usually not serious. See a doctor if:

  • Pain becomes severe or persistent
  • Movement becomes noticeably difficult
  • Pain spreads down into your legs or elsewhere
A healthcare professional can properly evaluate the cause and recommend the right treatment or rehab plan — self-managing is fine for mild, short-term discomfort, but not for these signs.

Supporting a Healthier Back

Most back pain isn’t caused by one bad moment — it’s built from small daily habits. Fixing your posture, lifting correctly, moving more, and strengthening your core will do more for your spine than almost anything else. For extra support during recovery or long days, browse the full orthopaedic products range.

Related reading:

Logo

Datt Mediproducts Private Limited

Loading
Buy Now