Home Medications and Cures for Chicken pox
A highly contagious, usually mild childhood disease caused by the Herpes virus varicella-zoster virus, which also causes herpes zoster (shingles). In most cases, the older the child, the more severe the attack.
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Symptoms of Chicken pox
You may notice several symptoms before the typical chickenpox rash appears. Known as prodromal, or early symptoms, they include fever, a vague feeling of sickness, or decreased appetite. Within a few days, a rash appears. The rash looks like small red pimples or blisters. Chickenpox does not infect chickens (humans are the only animal infected by the VZV virus), but it was felt that the red pimples resembled chick peas, hence the name "chickenpox." The rash appears in batches over the next 2-4 days. It usually starts on the trunk and then spreads to the head, face, arms, and legs.The blisters mature, break open, form a sore, and then crust over. Most of the blisters will heal within 10-14 days, usually with no scarring unless the blisters become infected. Causes of Chicken pox Chickenpox is a viral disease characterized by itching and a skin rash with fluid-filled blisters that burst and form crusts. The onset of the chickenpox rash may be preceded by a day of mild fever and general malaise. The rash begins with a few small reddish bumps (papules) that quickly fill with fluid to form small blisters (vesicles). The vesicles appear in "crops", small groupings, first on the trunk then spreading to the extremities, face and scalp over a period of two to four days. The rash may spread into the mouth and other internal parts of the body. The vesicles break and a light brown scab or crust forms over the top. This crust gradually darkens to a dark brown before it finally falls off, usually within two weeks of the onset of the illness. Chickenpox seldom causes scarring, but when it does, the scars most often occur around the eyes and consist of a small depression. Chickenpox lesions can become infected, usually from scratching and most frequently with staphylococcus. These secondary infections may be severe enough to require hospitalization.
Chickenpox is spread from person to person by respiratory droplets, or by contact with articles freshly soiled by discharge from the lesions. It is contagious two days before the onset of the rash until six days after the appearance of the first lesions, or until all of the lesions are crusted over. The incubation period is 10 to 21 days. There is universal susceptibility to the virus in those not previously infected. Most children have been infected with the virus by the age of 10. After infection, lifelong immunity against recurrent infection is usually present. However, a person with a history of chickenpox may develop shingles (herpes zoster) later in life.
Treatment Of Chicken pox Brown Vinegar: The use of brown vinegar is one of the most important among the several home remedies found beneficial in the treatment of chicken pox. Half a cup of this vinegar should be added to a bath of warm water. This will relieve the irritation of the skin.
Oatmeal: A bath of oatmeal is considered a natural remedy for relieving the itch due to chicken pox. This bath is prepared by cooking two cups of oatmeal in two liters of water for fifteen minutes. This mixture is then put into a cloth bag, preferably cotton, and a string is tied tightly around the top. This bag is allowed to float in a tub of warm water, and swished around until the water becomes turbid. Precaution should be taken to ensure that the bag is not torn. The child with chicken pox can splash and play in the water, making sure that water goes over all the scalds, while the pouch of oatmeal can remain in the tub.
Pea Water: Green pea water is another effective remedy for relieving irritation of the skin. The water in which fresh peas have been cooked can be used for this purpose.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is a popular remedy to control the itching in chicken pox. Some baking soda should be put in a glass of water. The child should be sponged with this water, so that the soda dries on the skin. This will keep the child away from scratching the eruptions.
Vitamin E Oil: The use of vitamin E oil is valuable in chicken pox. This oil should be rubbed on the skin. It will have a healing effect. The marks left by chicken pox will fade away by this application.
Honey: The use of honey as an external application has also proved valuable in chicken pox. The skin should be smeared with honey. It will help in the healing of the disease within three days.
Carrot and Coriander: Soup prepared from carrots and coriander has been found beneficial in the treatment of chicken pox. About 100 gm of carrots and 60 gm of fresh coriander should be cut into small pieces and boiled for awhile. The residue should be discarded. This soup should be taken once a day.
Herbal Tea: A mild sedative herbal tea can also prove beneficial in the treatment of chicken pox. This tea can be prepared from any of the herbs like chamomile (babunah), basil (tulsi), marigold (szergul) and lemon balm (billilotan). A little cinnamon (dalchini), honey, and lemon may be added to this tea. It should be sipped slowly several times a day.
Dietary Considerations
Offer a soft diet for painful mouth and throat ulcers. For infants, give fluids by cup rather than bottle if child appears to have pain taking nipple.
Other Chicken pox natural treatments
A small warm-water enema should be administered daily during the initial juice fast to cleanse the bowels. The patient should be kept in a well-ventilated room. As light has a detrimental effect upon the eyes during an attack of chicken pox because of the weakened condition of the external eye tissues, the patient should shade his eyes from the direct light or the room should have subdued light.
Application of mudpacks on the abdomen twice a day, in the morning and evening, and repeated application of chest packs will be beneficial. Lukewarm water baths can be given every day to relieve itching. For better results, neem leaves can be added to the water. The nails of the child should be kept clipped to prevent him from scratching; otherwise, germs on the skin may be scratched into the blisters, causing more severe infection.
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Chicken Pox
