Chicken Pox
Chicken pox is a very contagious disease that most commonly affects children. If teens or adults catch this disease, it is usually much more serious.
Symptoms
Chicken pox usually makes you feel weak, gives you a headache and also causes a mild fever. An itchy rash then appears on the body in various places. You'll see red spots, usually on the back and chest, although the spots can also show on the face, neck, ears, arms, legs and feet. These red spots turn into blisters, eventually becoming pustules that form scabs. The spots come in waves, so while many heal, others are forming at the same time. After a few days to a week, the skin begins to clear and the patient feels better. From the time of exposure to healing can range from a week to three weeks, although it generally ranges from two weeks to seventeen days.
Causes
Chicken pox manifests as a result of contracting the Varicella virus.
Cautions
Trim finger nails so the blisters do not get scratched open and become infected. Chicken pox may lead to outbreaks of shingles in adults. If the virus is contracted by teens or adults, it can be very serious and may require hospitalization in severe cases. If you think you have contracted this disease, contact your physician immediately if you are a teen or adult. Consult your doctor if your child has symptoms of high fever, has a fit, has a stiff neck, has dark red blotches appearing on the skin.
Herbal Treatments
Internal Applications
- Elder - take to reduce fever. Infuse 2 grams of dried herb in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, strain and cool. Consult a herbalist for doseage.
- Sweet Violet – can be made into an herbal tea for reducing fever.
- Boneset – this herb is useful to relieve body ache and fever.
- Burdock – another useful herb for fever, burdock also reduces skin damage from the rash.
- Nettle – a nourishing herbal tea made of nettle will strengthen the system and help heal the skin quickly.
External Applications
- Oats – adding finely ground oatmeal to the bath is soothing. A cool or lukewarm bath with added oatmeal will soothe the itchiness of the rash. Add 1/2 cup of oats into a cotton hankerchief, tie tightly and use as a bath sponge.
- Neem – add neem leaves to a lukewarm bath to relieve the itching from the rash.
- Ledum – a tincture can be diluted and applied to the red spots with a cotton swab to relieve itching. It also helps healing.
- Aloe vera – use the gel to relieve itching. It also cools feverish skin.
- Turmeric – make a paste with this herb to apply directly to the spots to relieve itching.
- Sandalwood – this herb can be applied as a paste, a cream or diluted essential oil to relieve itch. It also heals and cools.
- Chickweed – apply the tea, tincture or cream to relieve the itch of chicken pox. It also soothes the skin.
- Calendula – apply the cream, the tincture or oil to relieve the itch, heal the skin and prevent scarring.
- Lavender – apply the tea, the cream or the oil to relieve itching, heal the skin and prevent infection.