Chickenpox: Alleviating symptoms and avoiding complications

by Osazee Osagie, MD. of SONIC URGENT CARE ( 17-Jul-2014 )

 

At first, it just seems like a run-of-the-mill bug: fever, headache, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Then comes the rash and there's no doubt: chicken pox has struck your family. While the chickenpox vaccine has dramatically reduced the number of people who get chickenpox each year, the virus is far from eradicated.

 

The tell-tale chickenpox rash usually begins on the trunk and face, gradually spreading to 250-500 itchy, fluid-filled blisters covering the entire body, explains the CDC. Chickenpox is extremely contagious and is spread through sneezing, coughing, or touching and breathing in virus particles from an infected person's blisters. People are most contagious 1-2 days before blisters appear, and until blisters turn to scabs (after about 1 week).

Most healthy people are not at-risk for complications from chickenpox. Others, however may experience serious complications such as dehydration, pneumonia, bleeding problems, infection or inflammation of the brain, bacterial infection of skin and soft tissue, infection of the bloodstream, toxic shock syndrome, and bone and joint infections. People at risk for complications may include:

·         Infants, adolescents, and adults

·         Pregnant women

·         People with weakened immune systems from AIDS/HIV, transplants, and cancer

 

To alleviate symptoms and prevent skin infections, the CDC suggests the following home treatment options:

·         Use calamine lotion and take colloidal oatmeal baths to relieve itching

·         Keep nails trimmed short to prevent infection as a result of scratching.

·         Treat fever using non-aspirin options, which can put children with chickenpox at-risk for Reye's syndrome, a condition causing liver and brain problems, or even death.

The CDC encourages people to consult their doctor about getting the chickenpox vaccine, reminding us that, " When you get vaccinated, you protect yourself and others in your community."

 

 

Sonic Urgent Care

www.sonicurgentcare.com

[email protected]

 

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