Blastomycosis is a disease caused by making contact with and especially breathing near moist soil in the southwest of the US and northern Mexico. The fungus endemic to this soil usually comes from rotting tree bark and leaves, and it becomes airborne as soon as it develops. Although these infections are rather rare when compared to most diseases, they can be quite impairing. Blastomycosis finds people with reduced immunity much easier to infect, especially those with HIV or a transplanted organ. Men are also shown to be more susceptible to contracting it than their counterparts. What makes blastomycosis tricky is the fact that 50% of the cases come without any symptoms. However, when blastomycosis is detected and subjected to treatment, even though the outcome is usually positive, there’s a 29% global death rate for those with reduced immunity, while those with HIV are at a 40% chance of losing their life, and those with ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) at a terrifying 68%.

Joint Pain

While blastomycosis is in the lungs only, no symptoms will be felt at all. However, once it begins spreading, the first area where discomfort is felt in most cases are the wrists, knees, ankles, shoulders, and elbows. This may feel like a sort of a sports injury, and it can partially be remedied with various joint pain relievers, such as creams and massages. This, however, only partially removes the discomfort that will later return. For full treatment, see your doctor.

Chest Pain

Because the infection is contained in the lungs, and that the heart is nearby, once blastomycosis spreads throughout the body, this is one of the first areas where inflammation will take place. Accordingly, the sufferer will feel various kinds of discomfort in the chest, especially during stressful situations and any physical activity. The pain comes as a sort of burning sensation, occurring all over the upper torso, everywhere under the collarbones and above the nipples. This can be partially treated by relaxation additives, such as those that include valerian.

Brown or Bloody Mucus

A cough that will inevitably come as blastomycosis makes its way throughout the body can often produce strange-looking sputum. Similar to patients that have smoked for at least a decade and those who have lung cancer, the sufferers of blastomycosis will experience episodes of brown or bloody sputum secretion. Aside from the medicine prescribed by the doctors for blastomycosis treatment, a way to somewhat ease this symptom and make it infrequent is to use asthma pumps and lung inflammation antibiotics.

Fatigue

Fatigue is a compulsory part of almost every widespread disease, and such is the case with blastomycosis as well. The body does its best to fight off the invader, which results in large drops of energy on a regular basis. Sufferers will often feel tired even though they have slept a reasonable amount, which is a good way to tell that something must be wrong with their health. All kinds of energizers can help with the drops of energy, but to permanently stop this symptom, the sufferers will have to resort to prescribed blastomycosis medicine.

Fever

As the system does all it can to fight off the disease, it inevitably spends much more energy on its lymphatic system and the heart itself, leaving the rest of the body rid of warmth that it needs to stay in balance. Thus, fever a frequent symptom of every large-scale infection such as blastomycosis. Various antibiotics can be used to treat many kinds of fevers, depending on what induces them. Generally speaking, the best way to get rid of the fever is also to take the prescribed medicine according to the disease causing it.

Muscle Pain

As more and more blood is delivered to the most active parts of the immune system, muscles undergo malnutrition, and they simply stop getting enough air. The toxifying effect that this has on muscle tissue makes the sufferer feel pain in that area. There’s also the fact that blastomycosis has probably spread to some of the muscles too, and the pain is their natural response to something inhibiting their cells. This can be remedied in ways similar to joint pain, but those solutions are only temporary.

Night Sweating

The sufferers of blastomycosis tend to wake up during the night in pools of sweat. This happens because the body is most active in its battle with foreign organisms when we are asleep. Consequently, it becomes a lot warmer, to the point where we don’t feel comfortable enough to keep sleeping. The sufferers need to get something to cool down during these periods, like a cold drink or an ice cube. If blastomycosis is in the system before the sufferer goes to bed, there’s no treating this symptom.

Malaise

Malaise refers to a general feeling of non-well-being or simply discomfort, all over the body. It can be related to fatigue and fever, but it has its word to describe it. While malaise in itself is nothing to worry about, it can still be quite impairing during daily activities, as everything begins to seem much harder than it is. The sufferers will simply feel much lazier, no matter what task they’re performing. This can also be remedied by plenty of sleep and energizers, but the best medicine is that which cures blastomycosis.

Weight Loss

It is said that the body burns carbohydrates and any other fat-inducing chemical at a much faster rate than usual when it’s combating a disease. For all of the vital defense organs to function, other parts of the body such as fat tissue will remain behind regarding priority. Your stomach and other body parts will only get as many as they need to keep functioning, but that’s about that. Increased food intake can somewhat help with this problem, but the best solution is to get rid of blastomycosis itself.

Pustules

As blastomycosis progresses into its final stage, sufferers will experience the appearance of various pustules, papules, and nodules, anywhere on their body. While pustules are wart-like ulcers that usually come and go without pain, they can easily burst and begin bleeding, which forms ulcers. Then again, nodules are itchy, painful and extremely irritating to their bearer. There’s no solution for this problem, aside from fluconazole, itraconazole, and ketoconazole, which are the anti-fungal medicines used to treat blastomycosis.