Chickenpox in children and adults: how not to get sick, and how to be treated

What is the chicken pox, and where does it come

Chickenpox (aka chicken pox) - an infectious diseaseChickenpox (Varicella). It calls it the virus varicella-zoster (Varicella Zoster). By the way, a close relative of the familiar to many herpes.

All herpes contagious, but varicella abruptly. Chickenpox is spread by airborne droplets, and does it very actively. To pick up an infection, sometimes enough for a second look in the patient's room.

People always seemed sore transferred literally in the air, the wind. Hence, the first part of the name - wind. Pox as it was called due to multiple lesions in the form of liquid-filled vesicles (papules), similar to those formed when smallpox.

Fortunately, chickenpox is not as deadly.

The chickenpox dangerous for children and adults

First of all, volatility. The contagiousness of varicella is so high that the windmill has long been considered merely a childhood disease: the child had little chance to grow up without meeting with the infection. Fortunately, the majority of people aged 1-12 years suffer chickenpox easily, and had been ill, become immune for life.

But sometimes the disease can cause serious complicationsChickenpox:

• Bacterial infection of the skin, soft tissues, bones, joints, until blood poisoning. This happens when a child or adult is brushing itchy rashes and accidentally enters into the wound of germs.
• Dehydration. This dangerous condition is associated with high temperature, which occurs during chickenpox.
• Pneumonia.
• brain inflammation (encephalitis).
• toxic shock syndrome.

But before you afraid of complications, it is necessary to make sure that it is about chickenpox.

What are the symptoms of chickenpox in children and adults

At the initial stage it is almost impossible to recognize the disease. In varicella long incubation period of 2-3 weeks after infection, the virus does not makes itself felt. His first symptoms are similar to flu:

• Fever: temperature 38 ° C or higher;
• headache;
• general malaise;
• aching muscles;
• loss of appetite;
• sometimes nausea.

However, these symptoms are not necessary. Quite often, the skin immediately appear small red dots. First, they resemble mosquito bites, but within a few hours turning into blisters filled with turbid fluid.

The rash spreads throughout the body, sometimes even grabbing the mucosa of the mouth and genitals.

After a day or two bubbles burst, their contents follows. Ospinki dry up and fall off quickly, leaving no trace. But next to the extinct there are new.

The rash lasts 4-8 days. All this time the person remains contagious, although feels good already: temperature and malaise are the most on the fourth day after the beginning of the active phase of the disease.

This occurs when a light or normal course of chickenpox. But there are also other situations.

When should I seek emergency medical attention or call an ambulance

Complications most often occur in those who are more or less 1-12 years, as well as people with immunosuppressed. To reduce risks, need skilled medical care.

As soon as possible, consult with your doctor if sick:

• I never had chickenpox and has not been vaccinated against it;
• an infant under 1 year;
• pregnant woman;
• a child older than 12 years;
• It is diagnosed with cancer, HIV or AIDS;
• survived an organ transplant;
• receives immunosuppressants or medications based on steroids;
• with fever four days longer.

Immediately call for an ambulance if:

• the temperature rises above 38,9 ° C and you can not it knock down;
• any skin rash beneath become red and hot, or it seems that under the skin pus - this may indicate a bacterial infection;
• a person has difficulty in walking;
• it's hard to turn your head: neck seems a wooden;
• there is frequent vomiting or severe abdominal pain;
• there is a strong cough or difficulty breathing;
• bruises (this is called a haemorrhagic rash) are formed by a rash.

How to treat chickenpox

Chickenpox - virus. And like most viruses, specific treatment of it is not. Help the sick person is reduced only to the reliefWhat you need to know about chickenpox the main symptoms.

Fever and headache

Remember, paracetamol and nothing else! Popular painkillers and antipyretics based on taking ibuprofen are not worth it. According to some reportsNonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and the risk of severe skin and soft tissue complications in patients with varicella or zoster diseaseIbuprofen with varicella increases the incidence of complications such as infections of the skin.

Aspirin is contraindicated altogether. In conjunction with the varicella-zoster virus it has a powerful toxic effect on the liver and brain (called Reye's syndromeReye's syndrome).

itch

To relieve the itching, the therapist may recommend an antihistamine. Given the insidious virus, in any case, do not set it yourself alone!

You can also treat the skin with calamine lotion according to instructions.

Scratches and wounds

So as not to scratch the skin and does not enter into the wound infection:

• trimming nails as short as possible. If the sick baby, put on it a thin protective gloves.
• Wear clean loose clothing.
• Often change underwear and bed linen.

Smear rashes zelyonkoj not necessarily: brilliant green will not speed up the ripening period of the bubble. Color Is that helps mark the pimples to keep track of the time when they cease to be new.

Soreness in the mouth

If there is a rash in the mouth, doctors recommend eating popsicles without sugar. The cold will help relieve discomfort. Also, try not to eat salty and spicy food.

possible complications

If chickenpox is for you can be dangerous, the doctor will prescribe medication that will help reduce the period of the disease and reduce the risk of complications. This may be an antiviral agent such as acyclovir or immunoglobulin for intravenous administration. However, they are only effective if used within the first 24 hours after onset of the rash.

When it comes to complications in the course are serious money. Depending on which organ is affected, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics and more powerful antiviral drugs. You may have to go to hospital.

How not to get sick with chickenpox and earn complications

Man becomes contagious for 48 hours before the rash appears and remains so until all burst bubbles are covered with a crust.

If there was contact with the sick, and you have never had chickenpox, the only thing that could theoretically save you from infection - vaccination. Try to do it in the first 3-5 daysVarilrix after contact. Then the vaccine has time to act and either prevent chickenpox or make it easier for.

inculcate chickenpox is worth everything. And not just because the vaccination tolerated by the body more easily than a real illness. The thing is insidious property of varicella-zoster virus.

Once you have met with chickenpox, it will always remain in your body, "hidden" in the nerve cells. While the immune system is strong, the virus behaves decently. But with age, or in stressful situations, when the body's defenses are weakened, varicella-zoster virus can become active again and cause an extremely painful inflammation of some nerves. It is accompanied by a rash similar to chicken pox.

Since the nerve endings lie perpendicular to the backbone, the rash also takes the form of horizontal stripes. This is a consequence of the meeting with chickenpox is called herpes zosterShingles (Herpes Zoster) (Lishaom).

In addition to pain, shingles is fraught with numerous complications:

• prolonged postherpetic neuralgia when severe persistent pain at the site continues rash and after its disappearance;
• Eye lesions with dangerous consequences for the vision as a whole;
• paralysis of cranial and peripheral nerves;
• visceral - pneumonia, Hepatitis, meningoencephalitis ...

Vaccination against chickenpox at the same time can reduce the risk of shingles by more than 85%. And this is a good reason to think about vaccination.