Diseases Caused by Drinking Contaminated Water

While it is true that fresh water is slowly becoming more priceless due to the droughts and shortages some parts of the world are experiencing, that doesn't mean we should just take any water we find and declare it as safe to drink.

Potential Contaminated Water Diseases

There are a lot of bacteria and other parasites that thrive on water, just waiting for a victim to ingest them. Most of these diseases have similar causes and treatments, but some may differ in symptoms so make sure to always be vigilant. Here are some of the most common diseases that are caused by pollution.

• Vomiting
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Cholera
• Typhoid
• Diarrhea
• Dracunculiasis
• Hepatitis
• Malaria
• Thyroid disorder
• Dengue fever

What Are The Common Causes Of Contaminated Water?

• Bacteria may be present in your drinking water.
• Swimming/walking in polluted water with an open wound.
• Diseases involving parasites may have been caused by being exposed to the worm’s larvae.
• Fruits and vegetables that have been watered by contaminated water may pass diseases onto the humans that consume them.
• Drinking water that are contaminated with chemicals.
• Consuming food that has been washed with dirty water.
• Chemical pollutants that are present could damage the stomach lining.
• Drinking water that has been contaminated with fecal manner.
• Drinking untreated water or that came from nature.
• Fluoride poisoning or drinking and using water that has been treated with fluoride.
• Allergic reactions toward chemical pollutants in water.
• Dengue fever and malaria may be caused by exposure to water where mosquitoes thrive and lay eggs and more often, mosquito bites.
• Exposure to water in which some insects might have thrived in.

Treatments

Though the treatment for every disease is different, here is a general idea of how you would be treated upon inflection of any of these diseases.

• Hospital confinement
• IV fluids to avoid further dehydration
• Antiviral and antibiotic medications.
• In severe cases, surgery
• Painkillers may be used if the disease causes intense pain and inflammation.
• Hormone replacement

Prevention

• The best way to prevent waterborne diseases is to avoid drinking water that has not gone through treatments and filtration systems. We have solutions here to help filtrate your own water.
• Never drink water from natural sources because there is no way to know whether or not the source has been exposed to bacteria, chemicals, parasites and fecal matters.
• Vaccines are available for some of these diseases and it is considered a very necessary investment to avoid any long-term damage to your health.
• Do your best to keep your immune system in peak conditions, because a weakened immune system is more vulnerable to even the slightest exposure to these factors.
• Avoid eating food that has been prepared in unsanitary ways and places.
• Boil water before drinking.