We all are well cognizant of the fact that chicken pox is an extremely contagious infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is a member of the herpes virus family.

Symptoms

Chickenpox induces an itchy rash with small, fluid-filled blisters. Chickenpox infection appears 10 to 21 days after exposure to the virus and usually lasts about five to 10 days. Other signs and symptoms that may appear one to two days before the rash include:

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Headache
• Tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell (malaise)

Once the chickenpox rash appears, it goes through three phases:

• Raised pink or red bumps
• Small fluid-filled blisters
• Crusts and scabs cover the broken blisters and take several more days to heal

Causes

Chickenpox infection is stimulated by the varicella-zoster virus it can spread through direct contact with the rash. It also spreads when a person with chickenpox coughs or sneezes and inhales the air droplets.

Prevention

The favourable procedure to prevent chickenpox is to get the chickenpox vaccine everyone including children, adolescents and adults should get two doses of chickenpox vaccine if they have never had chickenpox or were never vaccinated.

The chickenpox vaccine is reasonably safe and beneficial at preventing the disease majority of the people who get the vaccine will not get chickenpox. If a vaccinated person does get chickenpox the symptoms are usually mild with fewer or no blisters. The chickenpox vaccine prevents almost all cases of severe illness.

Treatment

Make sure the individual gets plenty of rest and fluid. Chickenpox goes away on its own in a week or two.

To help the ease an uncomplicated case of chicken pox follow these self-care measure:

• Pain-relieving drugs: It is necessary to drink plenty of fluids, preferably water, to avoid dehydration, which can be a complication of chickenpox.
• Sugar-free popsicles: These can improve the symptoms of mouth soreness if there are spots in the mouth avoid salt or spicy foods. If chewing is painful, soup might be a good option but as long as it’s not too hot.
• Reduce itching: itching can become severe but it is important to minimise scratching to diminish the risk of scarring. Things that can help include topical ointments cool baths or oral Benadryl tablets
• Pain-relieving drugs: it is important to follow the instructions given by the doctor. People should not use aspirin-containing products to treat chickenpox as this can lead to complications. People should also avoid ibuprofen as it could increase the risk of strep throat.

Post-chicken pox scars take time to rejuvenate but the good news is that you can speed up the recovery. One must get in touch with a dermatologists to treat post-chickenpox scars effectively. Don’t worry Mahabir Doctor’s Hub healthcare specialists have got you covered. Our healthcare specialists will prepare a customized treatment plan just for you after assessing your condition to give you the best possible results.