Natural Treatment and Prevention of Chicken Pox
September 13, 2009 by admin
Filed under Home Remedies
Chicken pox is a very contagious disease, which is very prevalent among young children. This is very mild disease, which will limit normally young and healthy children for a short period of time. But babies and other children who have not immunized can suffer a lot when they contract chicken pox. Normally children are infected with chicken pox before they celebrate their tenth birthday. It is very rare for adults to be infected with chicken pox. But people who have been infected with chicken pox once will develop a lifelong immunity towards the disease. But people who get chicken pox once they are much older are likely to suffer from greater complications.
Causes of Chicken Pox :
The weather is one of the main reasons for the occurrence of chicken pox. People are usually affected by chicken pox at the close of the winter and the beginning of the spring season. The Varicella zoster virus, which is a member of the herpes family of viruses, is mainly responsible for the spread of chicken pox. Children between the age of two years and eight years are most likely to be infected by chicken pox. The main method of transmission of chicken pox is by staying in direct contact with the person who has been infected. The air is responsible for the transmission of the chicken pox virus.
Symptoms of Chicken Pox : The symptoms of chicken pox will start appearing within a period of three weeks after the person has been infected. The main symptoms of chicken pox are:
- Fever
- Itchy red bumps which will soon turn into blisters
The blisters will turn into a crust and then they will get dried out. The person who has been infected should stay in solitary confinement at least for five days and not come into contact with any other person in the house. Pregnant women who have had chicken pox before do not stand any kind of risk. The doctor can administer some antibodies if he does not want to take a risk.
Home Treatment for Chicken Pox :
- Crushed marigold flowers and witch hazel leaves should be soaked overnight in water and then applied on the boils
- A piece of ginger should be added to the bath water and then the infected person should be asked to sit in the bath water for a time period of thirty minutes. This will provide some relief from the itching sensation
- A baking soda solution should be prepared and a sponge should be used to apply the solution all over the body. This will also help in relieving the itching sensation.
- Catnip tea, which has been sweetened using molasses, will help in bringing down the fever
- Vitamin E oil should be applied on the boils in order to make them heal quickly.
- An oatmeal bath will also help in providing relief from the itching sensation
- Large amount of fluids should be consumed in order to prevent dehydration
Prevention of Chicken Pox :
People who have had chicken pox when they were young children might find some rashes resurfacing after a few years in the form of shingles. A vaccine for chicken pox was introduced in the year 1995 and doctors have recommended that every child should be given this vaccination. This will help in reducing the intensity of the infection. This will not prevent children from being infected by the disease. But children who are allergic to gelatin should be given the chicken pox vaccine.
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