Important Facts About Chickenpox

Chickenpox is caused by varicella - zoster virus and not by chickens as most of us were led to believe when we were just but a bunch of adorable innocent toddlers. And in as much as chickenpox isn't life-threatening in most cases, especially in this time and age, ignoring the infection isn't always the brightest of ideas.

Doing so will not only attract a lot of discomforts but will also expose your loved ones to a much higher rate of infection. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to learn all that you can about this viral disease including how to handle an outbreak like a boss. A good place to start by learning all about the transmission, prevention, treatment as well as containment of chickenpox.

Thankfully, the internet has a lot of material on chickenpox and you should, therefore, take some time to browse a little and learn a lot. It takes about three weeks for the chickenpox symptoms to manifest. But if you've made a knack of using the natural remedies into your daily diet and routine, then you won't suffer as much as a person who doesn't.

Depending on the severity of the chickenpox infection, the symptoms can last between a few days to a fortnight. During this time of sheer discomfort, regular application of skin remedies is encouraged in order to eliminate the itching and blistering problem. Without further ado, here are some concrete facts everyone needs to know about chickenpox:

Is Chickenpox Contagious?

As sure as the chickenpox is not caused by chickens, you can bet your top dollar that it also is very contagious. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to learn how to protect yourself from contracting the virus as well as preventing it from spreading. This means you'll be required to learn all the techniques you'll need to get rid of the chickenpox problem as soon as it breaks out and doing so as successfully as you can.

The Signs and Symptoms Pointing to A Chickenpox Infection

Just like it is the case with any other infection, chickenpox comes with its fair share of signs and symptoms. Therefore, it is important for you - and everyone you love - to learn how to detect these signs and symptoms and doing so as early as possible. And once you've confirmed that you are indeed suffering from chickenpox, then your next stop should be to your doctor's office.

The first sign that points to a chickenpox infection is a steady fever. But the thing with fever is that it is a symptom of just about every other infection, viral and bacterial. Therefore, always make a habit of looking for other symptoms apart from fever. In most chickenpox cases, the fever is usually accompanied by a splitting headache.

That explains why people chickenpox infected with chickenpox usually feel sick most of the time. The feeling of tiredness coupled with the acute loss of appetite might also point to a chickenpox infection. Remember that all these symptoms could easily be caused by any other infection besides chickenpox. And that's why I'm sounding like a broken record insisting that you consult your doctor as soon as you possibly can.

But if you exhibit all the above symptoms in addition to the usual skin breakout in the form of red or pink bumps on your skin, then you definitely have chickenpox. Just find your way to your medicine cabinet and take some antibiotics right before calling your doctor. You can also visit your kitchen and "cook up" your favorite homemade remedy in a jiffy.

Do Chickenpox Vaccinations Have Side-Effects?

Before we get to talking about the side-effects of the chickenpox vaccinations, it is important to note that both children and adults need to get vaccinated if they haven't already. These effective chickenpox vaccines are very important because a person normally becomes contagious between 1-2 days after exposure.

And since it takes up to three weeks to manifest fully, having your chickenpox shots as a preventive measure will go a long way in helping you stay safe from the breakout. To fight off chickenpox effectively, children between the ages of 11-14 months ought to be vaccinated followed by another vaccination when they turn 15 - 23 weeks old.

It is very important to ensure that these vaccinations happen between a month and a month and a half after the first shot. Apart from the infants, women planning to get pregnant, as well as adults, are supposed to get their chickenpox shots so as to always be on the safe side. A chickenpox shot is also recommended for people with the eczema condition.

And to answer the question, yes, chickenpox shots have side-effects. Some of the side effects will include a mild fever as well as redden around the injected area on the skin. But these symptoms shouldn't worry you that much because they only show that your body is reacting to the inoculated varicella-zoster virus, generating the necessary antibodies needed to help your body fight any chickenpox causing viruses.

Precautions Were Taken Before Getting Chickenpox Shots

By now, you ought to have known just how important chickenpox vaccine shots are. But when it comes to its administration, doctors will tell you that it's a very delicate procedure that requires a lot of consultation before they can proceed with it. For instance, pregnant women aren't supposed to be vaccinated against chickenpox.

Also, a healthy diet and lifestyle are usually encouraged before the administration of chickenpox shots. This is because the chickenpox vaccine requires a strong immune system that'll ensure sufficient production of antibodies.

Can A Chickenpox Outbreak Be Contained?

Just because a chickenpox outbreak can spread like wildfire doesn't mean that it cannot be put in check. One way of doing so is keeping infected kids out of daycare, school, playgrounds, and parks until they feel better. You can do this by simply confining your child in his or her room and not send him or her to the quarantine area in the CDC.

Also, calling the doctor and making a house call is very important since it will prevent the public from catching the virus which, as earlier stated, can be highly contagious if not contained. An infected person should also refrain from scratching the blisters despite the itching.

Wearing a face mask covering your mouth when sneezing or coughing is also very important. This should effectively prevent the missiles of infected spittle from flying and infecting unsuspecting parties.

Who Are the People Likely to Be Devastated by Chickenpox Shots?

As earlier mentioned, certain demographics are more affected by chickenpox than others. Since they contracting chickenpox could easily put them at risk. Here are some of the groups of people who aren't supposed to go for the chickenpox shots:

• People with immune-deficiency complications or in layman terms, people with weak immune systems
• Pregnant women
• A majority of the adults

It is, therefore, a good idea to consult with your doctor before getting your chickenpox shots since it will be for your own good.

Chickenpox-Related Complications

The people who are affected the most by chickenpox - refer to the previous heading - have a much higher probability to develop a complication or two. One of these complications and the arguably the most dreadful of them all is none other than pneumonia. According to statistics, 1 out of 400 adults who contract chickenpox ends up hospitalized due to pneumonia-related impediments.

Also, there are cases where children with severe chickenpox cases ended up with neurologic complications. This would happen when the chickenpox would cause the inflammation of the acute cerebellar ataxia part of the brain. And if this neural incongruity goes unchecked, the victim would eventually experience seizures or delirium, or both.

In very rare cases, chickenpox can cause the patients to develop kidney disease, hepatitis, testes inflammation, ulcers within the intestinal tract, chickenpox lesions, and permanent vision impairment as a result of scarring as well as damage of the optical nerves. It is for this very reason that a seemingly harmless chickenpox infection needs to be taken with the level of seriousness it deserves.

Are There Any Natural Remedies for Chickenpox?

If you happen to have any doubts about using manufactured chickenpox remedies, don't hesitate turn to the natural remedies for relief. The advantage of using natural remedies in the treatment and eventual curing of chickenpox is that they are readily available. Apart from that, using these remedies will not result in any horrid side effects.

The first natural remedy to come highly recommended is none other than honey. Owing to its antiviral and antibacterial properties, honey has been successfully used in the treatment of chickenpox for centuries. And the process of preparing it is as easy as a toddler saying "mama".

First, put two teaspoons of honey in a glass of warm water filled few millimeters shy to the brim. Then stir the water and honey until you've made a uniform solution out of the two. The last thing you'll be expected to do is drinking this solution. Doing so will help you treat a sore throat which will also bring you a lot of relief.

Make sure you are drinking this solution two to three times a day in for you to make the most of its usefulness. Baking soda can also come in handy especially when it comes to keeping the skin irritation in check. In this case, you'll start by adding a teaspoon of baking soda and dissolving it in a bowl of clean water. Once your solution is ready, you can either use a clean piece of cloth or disinfected cotton to dub the solution onto your skin.

Oatmeal is also another natural remedy that has been successfully used in the treatment of chickenpox. And besides being effective in the treatment of chickenpox, oatmeal can also be used to prevent the spread of chickenpox. But before you get to use it, you'll first have to grind at least two cups of oatmeal. You can then proceed to mix the flour in two liters of lukewarm water and stir before dubbing it against your sensitive skin.

Other natural remedies include brown vinegar, carrots and coriander, Indian lilac and lavender oil just to mention a few. And as it is the norm, you'll have to learn how to prepare them before application in order to have the desired effect. Lastly but not least, always remember to carry out these treatments regularly, that is, if you want to get rid of the chickenpox problem sooner rather than later.

Conclusion

Chickenpox, just like any other ailment, should be taken with a pinch of salt. This is because being reckless with handling the infection can make it easy for opportunistic infections to make your life a living hell. Therefore, it is very important to identify the symptoms in the early stages of chickenpox and dealing with it effectively.

If it's your first time having an encounter with chickenpox, then I would strongly advise that you go see a doctor as soon as you can. But as the infection subsides, you can opt for using your homemade natural remedies which include honey, baking soda, and Indian lilac just to mention a few.

And as far as your natural remedies are concerned, always feel free to go for whatever you feel is most convenient for you. Learning about curbing the spreading of chickenpox happens to be as important as learning about the prevention and cure. Therefore, you should make Google your friend and get to learning as much as you possibly can, while you can.

Last but not least, always take good care of yourself and those around you. That way, whenever there is a chickenpox outbreak, your immune systems will be strong and ready for it. Always remember, the stronger your immune system, the lesser you'll end up suffering.