Black Fungus: A Threat To Us

Black fungus came out of nowhere as a nightmare during the second wave of COVID-19, spreading rapidly among the masses. It felt like an impending doom even before coronavirus settled and now we are already contemplating the third wave.

Whether the third wave hits us or not — we need to be prepared full throttle to come out of it safely. The fungus and its variations after all cannot be ignored considering the damage it caused in the past.

Here’s what you need to know:

The fungus feeds on sugar and fluids in our body to unleash the horror that it is. Just like a bread slice left outside for days sees growth of greenish-black mould; similarly ‘mucor’ as it is popularly known, develops inside our body given the similar warm and moist environment.

The black fungus can be called the cancer of fungal diseases as it is almost impossible to access the spread before it turns into major damage.

Although a rare, opportunistic infection, its occurrence has increased multifold due to the use of steroids in COVID-19 treatment lately. Furthermore, self-medicating with steroids in otherwise mild cases of COVID-19 poses a greater threat leading to more complications.

Most life-threatening conditions have developed especially among people with diabetes, cancer, kidney and liver diseases, and other immuno-compromised problems. Making it necessary to maintain their glucose and immunity levels and looking out for early signs.

Here are the top 5 symptoms of Mucormycosis or Black Fungus that you shouldn’t ignore:

• Nasal blockage or congestion, nasal discharge (blackish or bloody)
• Pain in the cheekbone, one-sided facial pain, headache, numbness, or swelling
• Severe pain and loosening of teeth, pus formation beneath the gums, jaw bone resorption
• Blurring or partial difficulty in vision aggravating to complete loss of vision
• Painful red blisters or ulcers turning black in advanced stage

When diagnosed and treated at a later stage, serious implications are faced by patients, such as:

• Partial or complete resection of the eye socket
• Partial or complete removal of the jaw bone
• Removal of multiple teeth

It can also lead to death in severe cases.

However, there are also several ways to avoid this problem in the first place:

• Avoid self-medication of any kind
• Do NOT consume steroids without a doctor’s prescription
• Clean your teeth twice a day using a soft brush with gentle pressure
• Floss every day using gentle, to and fro motions
• Massage your gums in a circular motion using coconut oil
• Focus on both oral and general health upkeep

Dental hygiene is well known to play a crucial role in curbing mucormycosis and while a health expert is the best judge of its early signs — having the right information in hand can help you reach out for treatment on time.

Companies like MyDentalPlan have come forward in this age of crisis to provide safe and trusted dental solutions like online video consultations so that you get to speak to experts from the comfort of your home and get solutions on time.

While it’s difficult to visit a dentist readily with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading across, it is also important to not delay making an appointment and getting examined at the earliest.