I remember when I had my chickenpox 12 years ago. I was waiting for the result of my NMAT and I was 'exiled' to our place in Taytay so as not to spread the disease. Those were the worst days of my life. As adult, seeing how your fair and smooth complexion become tarnished with horrible 'skin lesions'is really traumatic. I was so depressed and covered my face with a mask, only to realize that the more I hid them, the more vesicles came out. How I wished I had the disease early in my life so that I would have outgrown the scars. I was unfortunate.
It is April again and I'm sure the number of chickenpox cases will rise. I hope you won't have it but just in case you will, here are some facts about it.
Chickenpox is also common illness during summertime. An itchy rash of spots that look like blisters can appear all over the body and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Symptoms usually go away without treatment, but because the infection is very contagious, an infected person should stay home and rest until the symptoms are gone.
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). We can be protected from VZV by getting the chickenpox vaccine, which despite the cost is proven to be quite effective.
A person usually has only one episode of chickenpox, but VZV can lie dormant within the body and cause a different type of skin eruption later in life called shingles (or herpes zoster). Getting the chickenpox vaccine significantly lowers your chances of getting chickenpox, but you may still develop shingles later.
Symptoms of Chickenpox
Chickenpox causes a red, itchy rash on the skin that usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals.
The rash begins as multiple small, red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites. They develop into thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid, which becomes cloudy. The blister wall breaks, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become dry, brown scabs.
Chickenpox blisters are usually less than a quarter of an inch wide, have a reddish base, and appear in bouts over 2 to 4 days. The rash may be more extensive or severe in kids who have skin disorders such as eczema.
Some will have a fever, abdominal pain, sore throat, headache, or a vague sick feeling a day or 2 before the rash appears. These symptoms may last for a few days, and fever stays in the range of 100°–102° Fahrenheit (37.7°–38.8° Celsius), though in rare cases may be higher.
Typically, chickenpox is a mild illness, but can affect people with weak immune systems more severely. Some people can develop serious bacterial infections involving the skin, lungs, bones, joints, and the brain (encephalitis). Even people with normal immune systems can occasionally develop complications, most commonly a skin infection near the blisters.
Anyone who has had chickenpox (or the chickenpox vaccine) as a child is at risk for developing shingles later in life, and up to 20% do. After an infection, VZV can remain inactive in nerve cells near the spinal cord and reactivate later as shingles, which can cause tingling, itching, or pain followed by a rash with red bumps and blisters. Shingles is sometimes treated with antiviral drugs, steroids, and pain medications, and in May 2006 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a vaccine to prevent shingles in people 60 and older.
Contagiousness
Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before the rash appears and lasts until all the blisters are crusted over. A person with chickenpox should be kept out of social contacts until all blisters have dried, usually about 1 week .
Chickenpox is very contagious — most people with a household member who's been infected will get it as well, showing symptoms about 2 weeks after the he/she does. To help keep the virus from spreading, make sure you wash your hands frequently, particularly before eating and after using the bathroom. And keep a person with chickenpox away from unvaccinated household members as much as possible.
People who haven't had chickenpox also can catch it from someone with shingles, but they cannot catch shingles itself. That's because shingles can only develop from a reactivation of VZV in someone who has previously had chickenpox.
Preventing Chickenpox
Doctors recommend that kids receive the chickenpox vaccine when they are 12 to 18 months old. The vaccine is about 70% to 85% effective at preventing mild infection, and more than 95% effective in preventing moderate to severe forms of the infection. Although the vaccine works pretty well, some people who are immunized still will get chickenpox. Those who do, though, will have much milder symptoms than those who haven't had the vaccine and become infected.
Healthy people who have had chickenpox do not need the vaccine — they usually have lifelong protection against the illness.
Treating Chickenpox
A virus causes chickenpox, so your doctor won't prescribe antibiotics. However, antibiotics may be required if the sores become infected by bacteria. This is pretty common among kids because they often scratch and pick at the blisters.
The antiviral medicine acyclovir may be prescribed for people with chickenpox who are at risk for complications. The drug, which can make the infection less severe, must be given within the first 24 hours after the rash appears. Acyclovir can have significant side effects, so it is only given when necessary. Your doctor can tell you if the medication is right for you.
Dealing With the Discomfort of Chickenpox
You can help relieve the itchiness, fever, and discomfort of chickenpox by:
· Using cool wet compresses or giving baths in cool or lukewarm water every
3 to 4 hours for the first few days. Baths do not spread chickenpox.
· Patting (not rubbing) the body dry.
· Putting calamine lotion on itchy areas (but don't use it on the face,
especially near the eyes).
· Eat foods that are cold, soft, and bland because chickenpox in the mouth may
make drinking or eating difficult. Avoid anything highly acidic or
especially salty, like orange juice or pretzels.
· Asking your doctor or pharmacist about pain-relieving creams to apply to
sores in the genital area.
· Take acetaminophen regularly to help relieve pain if you have mouth
blisters.
· Asking the doctor about using over-the-counter medication for itching.
Never use aspirin to reduce pain or fever because aspirin has been associated with the serious disease Reye syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and even death.
As much as possible, avoid scratching. This can be difficultespecially for children, so consider putting mittens or socks on your child's hands to prevent scratching during sleep. In addition, trim fingernails and keep them clean to help lessen the effects of scratching, including broken blisters and infection.
Most chickenpox infections require no special medical treatment. But sometimes, there are problems. See your doctor if you:
· have fever that lasts for more than 4 days or rises above 102° Fahrenheit
(38.8° Celsius)
· have a severe cough or trouble breathing
· have an area of rash that leaks pus (thick, discolored fluid) or becomes
red, warm, swollen, or sore
· have a severe headache
· are unusually drowsy or has trouble waking up
· have trouble looking at bright lights
· have difficulty walking
· seems confused
· seems very ill or is vomiting
· have a stiff neck
See your doctor if you think you have chickenpox, if you have a question, or if you're concerned about a possible complication. The doctor can guide you in watching for complications and in choosing medication to relieve itching. When going to the doctor, let the clinic know in advance that you might have chickenpox. It's important to ensure that other people in the clinic are not exposed — for some of them, a chickenpox infection could cause severe complications.
It is April again and I'm sure the number of chickenpox cases will rise. I hope you won't have it but just in case you will, here are some facts about it.
Chickenpox is also common illness during summertime. An itchy rash of spots that look like blisters can appear all over the body and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Symptoms usually go away without treatment, but because the infection is very contagious, an infected person should stay home and rest until the symptoms are gone.
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). We can be protected from VZV by getting the chickenpox vaccine, which despite the cost is proven to be quite effective.
A person usually has only one episode of chickenpox, but VZV can lie dormant within the body and cause a different type of skin eruption later in life called shingles (or herpes zoster). Getting the chickenpox vaccine significantly lowers your chances of getting chickenpox, but you may still develop shingles later.
Symptoms of Chickenpox
Chickenpox causes a red, itchy rash on the skin that usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals.
The rash begins as multiple small, red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites. They develop into thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid, which becomes cloudy. The blister wall breaks, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become dry, brown scabs.
Chickenpox blisters are usually less than a quarter of an inch wide, have a reddish base, and appear in bouts over 2 to 4 days. The rash may be more extensive or severe in kids who have skin disorders such as eczema.
Some will have a fever, abdominal pain, sore throat, headache, or a vague sick feeling a day or 2 before the rash appears. These symptoms may last for a few days, and fever stays in the range of 100°–102° Fahrenheit (37.7°–38.8° Celsius), though in rare cases may be higher.
Typically, chickenpox is a mild illness, but can affect people with weak immune systems more severely. Some people can develop serious bacterial infections involving the skin, lungs, bones, joints, and the brain (encephalitis). Even people with normal immune systems can occasionally develop complications, most commonly a skin infection near the blisters.
Anyone who has had chickenpox (or the chickenpox vaccine) as a child is at risk for developing shingles later in life, and up to 20% do. After an infection, VZV can remain inactive in nerve cells near the spinal cord and reactivate later as shingles, which can cause tingling, itching, or pain followed by a rash with red bumps and blisters. Shingles is sometimes treated with antiviral drugs, steroids, and pain medications, and in May 2006 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a vaccine to prevent shingles in people 60 and older.
Contagiousness
Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before the rash appears and lasts until all the blisters are crusted over. A person with chickenpox should be kept out of social contacts until all blisters have dried, usually about 1 week .
Chickenpox is very contagious — most people with a household member who's been infected will get it as well, showing symptoms about 2 weeks after the he/she does. To help keep the virus from spreading, make sure you wash your hands frequently, particularly before eating and after using the bathroom. And keep a person with chickenpox away from unvaccinated household members as much as possible.
People who haven't had chickenpox also can catch it from someone with shingles, but they cannot catch shingles itself. That's because shingles can only develop from a reactivation of VZV in someone who has previously had chickenpox.
Preventing Chickenpox
Doctors recommend that kids receive the chickenpox vaccine when they are 12 to 18 months old. The vaccine is about 70% to 85% effective at preventing mild infection, and more than 95% effective in preventing moderate to severe forms of the infection. Although the vaccine works pretty well, some people who are immunized still will get chickenpox. Those who do, though, will have much milder symptoms than those who haven't had the vaccine and become infected.
Healthy people who have had chickenpox do not need the vaccine — they usually have lifelong protection against the illness.
Treating Chickenpox
A virus causes chickenpox, so your doctor won't prescribe antibiotics. However, antibiotics may be required if the sores become infected by bacteria. This is pretty common among kids because they often scratch and pick at the blisters.
The antiviral medicine acyclovir may be prescribed for people with chickenpox who are at risk for complications. The drug, which can make the infection less severe, must be given within the first 24 hours after the rash appears. Acyclovir can have significant side effects, so it is only given when necessary. Your doctor can tell you if the medication is right for you.
Dealing With the Discomfort of Chickenpox
You can help relieve the itchiness, fever, and discomfort of chickenpox by:
· Using cool wet compresses or giving baths in cool or lukewarm water every
3 to 4 hours for the first few days. Baths do not spread chickenpox.
· Patting (not rubbing) the body dry.
· Putting calamine lotion on itchy areas (but don't use it on the face,
especially near the eyes).
· Eat foods that are cold, soft, and bland because chickenpox in the mouth may
make drinking or eating difficult. Avoid anything highly acidic or
especially salty, like orange juice or pretzels.
· Asking your doctor or pharmacist about pain-relieving creams to apply to
sores in the genital area.
· Take acetaminophen regularly to help relieve pain if you have mouth
blisters.
· Asking the doctor about using over-the-counter medication for itching.
Never use aspirin to reduce pain or fever because aspirin has been associated with the serious disease Reye syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and even death.
As much as possible, avoid scratching. This can be difficultespecially for children, so consider putting mittens or socks on your child's hands to prevent scratching during sleep. In addition, trim fingernails and keep them clean to help lessen the effects of scratching, including broken blisters and infection.
Most chickenpox infections require no special medical treatment. But sometimes, there are problems. See your doctor if you:
· have fever that lasts for more than 4 days or rises above 102° Fahrenheit
(38.8° Celsius)
· have a severe cough or trouble breathing
· have an area of rash that leaks pus (thick, discolored fluid) or becomes
red, warm, swollen, or sore
· have a severe headache
· are unusually drowsy or has trouble waking up
· have trouble looking at bright lights
· have difficulty walking
· seems confused
· seems very ill or is vomiting
· have a stiff neck
See your doctor if you think you have chickenpox, if you have a question, or if you're concerned about a possible complication. The doctor can guide you in watching for complications and in choosing medication to relieve itching. When going to the doctor, let the clinic know in advance that you might have chickenpox. It's important to ensure that other people in the clinic are not exposed — for some of them, a chickenpox infection could cause severe complications.
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