{"id":6093,"date":"2019-04-30T02:50:59","date_gmt":"2019-04-30T02:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=6093"},"modified":"2021-11-10T12:59:12","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T12:59:12","slug":"14-things-to-keep-in-mind-about-valley-fever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/14-things-to-keep-in-mind-about-valley-fever\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Things to Keep in Mind about Valley Fever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Valley Fever is a fungal infection that can happen due to certain organisms that may be found in specific regions throughout the world. The fungi are commonly found in soil and disturbing that soil can cause the fungi to detach from their stems and fly upward where they can be breathed in. There are two different species that actually cause Valley Fever. But both of them are found in soil and geographic locations are basically the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valley Fever, which is also called acute coccidioidomycosis, is usually not severely harmful or fatal to those with a healthy immune system. Often, Valley Fever resolves on its own due to the immune response within the body. In some cases, doctors will prescribe antifungal medications when the illness is more severe. You need to be aware of the symptoms and the progression of the disease as well as the things that are listed here so you can avoid getting it in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Valley Fever is Just the First Stage of the Infection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The infection actually has two different stages. The first stage is the less serious stage, and most people will not progress past that first stage if they are healthy. People with a healthy immune system<\/a> can fight off the infection without even noticing that they have any of the symptoms quite often. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allowing the disease to progress to its second stage can have severe detrimental effects on the body and cause a variety of symptoms that can be really hard to pin down. That\u2019s why it is important to get tested right away if you believe that you have Valley Fever. If you allow it to progress to the second stage, then it could be spread throughout the body and cause many symptoms and various organs and disrupt much of what your body does on a regular basis. The second form of the disease is known as chronic and disseminated coccidioidomycosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Symptoms May Take Weeks to Appear<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some diseases start displaying symptoms right away. There are lots of diseases out there that will show symptoms within the first 24 hours of getting them. Unfortunately, Valley Fever<\/a> is not one of those. This fungal infection usually takes several weeks to start showing symptoms, and some people never show any symptoms at all. Unfortunately, what this means is that the infection has a great deal of time to take hold of the body before showing itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the time, these are going to be really mild symptoms that appear one to three weeks after the initial exposure. They can include night sweats, chills, fever, cough, chest pain, headache, fatigue, joint pain, and rashes. Some people experience one or two of these while other people experience several. Some people never experience any at all. It is impossible to tell how the disease will progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. It is Impossible to Predict the Length of Recovery<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The recovery from this illness is completely impossible to predict. Each person is different, and each person\u2019s medical history and physiology <\/a>will make the progression of the disease different. The course of the disease is extremely variable. Some people take months to recover from this illness while others barely realize that they have in the first place and only need a short time to recover. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some symptoms may last a lot longer than others; for example, the fatigue and joint pain that comes with this illness can last for six months or more. How you recover from this illness will depend upon factors like your overall health, the number of fungal spores you inhale, whether or not you get antifungal treatment from your doctor and how quickly you seek medical help as well as the strength of your immune system and whether you fit any of the profiles for people at high risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. In Latter Stages, Widespread Infection Can Cause Dozens of Symptoms<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Widespread infection, called dissemination, is the latter stage of the illness and there are dozens of symptoms that may be associated with the illness. For example, it can result in various skin problems like rashes, nodules<\/a>, and skin lesions. In serious cases, it can spread to the brain, spinal cord, and cerebral fluid and cause meningitis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basically, the illness can spread throughout the entire body to the lungs, skin, liver, heart, brain, spinal cord, and even the bones. There are all kinds of symptoms that can manifest in these latter stages because as the fungal infection spreads throughout the body it gets into other bodily systems and organs and make them do all sorts of things. You definitely want to avoid this second-stage infection because it can be a lot harder to treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. You Should Know What the Causes of the Disease Are<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Understanding what the causes of this disease are is certainly the best way for you to prevent yourself from getting this illness in the first place. Of course, you know by now that it is caused by a fungus<\/a>, but there are two different types of fungus that cause illness. They are known as Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii. They are only found in regions of North, Central, and South America. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, they live in the arid desert of Arizona, as well as in the northern part of Mexico, Nevada, and in the San Joaquin Valley in California. You can also find them in certain parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Central and South America. You want to be cautious whenever you are in an area that has a very mild winter and really dry summer in these particular regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Understanding Risk Factors May Prevent Infection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you can avoid risk factors, or even educate yourself on what they are, then you may be able to keep yourself from getting Valley Fever in the first place. There are a number of risk factors to be aware of including being in one of the geographic regions where the fungus is present, being around environmental factors that can disturb the soil such as construction, logging, and high winds, and you also want to avoid going anywhere near this fungus if you have a compromised immune system or if you are pregnant or nursing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone that is receiving chemotherapy <\/a>or has an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn\u2019s disease or who is being treated with certain drugs like anti-TNF drugs are at a higher risk. In addition, older adults are likely to develop Valley Fever and certain races are more at risk as well including those with the Filipino or African background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. There are Serious Complications to Coccidioidomycosis<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are major complications that can come from Valley Fever. While most people recover from the disease with no problems, some people can develop pneumonia due to the Valley Fever that they have. Sometimes as pneumonia <\/a>comes without complications and you can easily overcome it. Other times, pneumonia can develop into something more serious and make a person extremely ill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those with Filipino and African heritage are particularly at risk and those with weakened immune systems are even worse off. Some of the complications may include ruptured lung modules which are cavities in the lungs that cause chest pain and difficulty breathing. Sometimes, you can recover from this on your own but other times it requires surgery. There may be other complications that you should be on the lookout for as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. At the Last Stage, it may be Fatal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While most healthy people recover from this illness with no problems, in some cases the disease can disseminate. What this means is that the fungal infection spreads throughout the body. When this happens, it can cause problems in nearly every bodily system out there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, people can develop skin ulcers, abscesses<\/a>, and lesions, lesions may develop on the bones, there may be car information that leads to cardiovascular problems, patients can develop urinary tract problems and it can even progress as far as meningitis which is an infection of the membranes and spinal fluid as well as having the potential to spread to the brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. There Is No Vaccine for Valley Fever<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vaccines <\/a>are one of the most important medical technologies ever invented. It’s thanks to vaccines that we managed to stamp out medieval diseases like smallpox. With all the news interest around the coronavirus vaccine, the public is taking a noted interest in the vaccine developments from pharmaceutical giants like AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Pfizer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vaccines are critical for helping us overcome a disease that otherwise could ruin our health. Most vaccines provide lasting immunity to a specific disease, like the MMR vaccine that protects children against the dangerous pathogens measles, mumps, and rubella. However, there is no available vaccine against Valley Fever, and no current vaccine programs are investigating a solution to contracting the disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only way to ensure you don’t come down with Valley Fever is to protect yourself using preventative measures. Wear respirator masks when moving earth in areas known to cause infection, such as the southwestern United States. If you notice any signs of Valley Fever, speak to your doctor as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. What to Expect from Your Doctors Appointment and Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you think you have Valley Fever, book an appointment with your doctor. Valley Fever is not contagious<\/a>, and there’s no risk of you passing it on to anyone else at your doctor’s office. However, when you arrive at your doctor’s office, you’ll get a better diagnosis and experience if you prepare for the questions your doctor will ask you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the questions your doctor may ask during the diagnosis include the following. <\/p>\n\n\n\n