Not many people realize how many different types of blood
infections there are. While some of these infections are fairly harmless, and
will actually go away on their own overtime, other infections can be very
serious and may be life threatening if the proper treatment for the infection
is not received. By learning more about the different types of blood infections
that occur in the body, you can better educate yourself on the topic.
Sepsis
Sepsis is a very serious condition, which occurs when your
body has a serious infection. When your body has a serious infection, it starts
creating more white blood cells to get rid of the infection within your body
and blood. However, when sepsis occurs, your body is unable to get rid of the
infection on its own, and your blood actually gets an overload of white blood
cells, which can lead to this life threatening condition.
Severe bacterial infections, which make their way into your
blood system, are the most common cause for sepsis. The reason why this
condition can be life threatening in because it causes so many blood cells to
form that large blood clots begin to form inside of the blood vessels, which
then deprives your body of oxygen. As the oxygen is derived from your body,
your organs will begin to shut down and you will then go into shock. Many
people think bacterial infections do not need treatment, but getting on an
antibiotic right away will prevent the infection from entering your blood
stream and causing this condition to occur.
Symptoms
of a Blood infection
When you have a blood infection that has gotten to the point
where treatment is required, there are many different symptoms that may be
present with the infection. Some people will experience fever, chills, aches,
dizziness, confusion and pain in areas of the body where the infection is
growing stronger. Due to the lack of proper blood flow throughout the body when
the infection has entered the blood, fainting may occur and immediate medical
attention will be required to keep the condition from becoming worse.
Who is
Susceptible to Blood Infections?
While blood infections can occur in people of all ages,
those who are most prone to these infections include the elderly and infants.
The reason why they are more likely to get an infection is because a newborn
doesn’t have a strong immune system yet, which means they are unable to fight
off the infection when in its initial stages. The elderly also have immune systems
that have weakened overtime, which makes it easier for blood infections to
spread throughout the body and cause serious damage.
Treatment
for Infections
When infections are caught in the early stages, simple
antibiotics may be all that is needed to rid the body of the bacteria that is
causing the infections to occur. However, when the infection has gotten out of
control and begins to create too many blood cells in the body, blood
transfusions are often used to get rid of the blood that is infected, and IV
antibiotics are given to flush the infection out of the body at a fast rate.