Chickenpox. We all love chicken but never the pox. The bad news: if you're not vaccinated against it, most likely you're going to get it (if you haven't already). Another bad news: it's worse when you get it at your adult age. The good news: most likely you won't get the pox again. It is possible to get it twice, but it is extremely rare.
If your mum made sure you got your chickenpox vaccine when you were younger, there's a higher chance you're not even going to get chickenpox. And, if you do, you will experience only mild symptoms.
If you didn't get your chickenpox vaccine and are experiencing all of the symptoms of chickenpox, the first and main concern is: should you go to the hospital for it? Another good news: no need. You can treat chickenpox at home. In this guide, you will learn more about this disease and also some of the well-trusted chickenpox home remedies you can try. Let's get started!
What Causes Chickenpox
So, first, what is this disease? Chickenpox is a viral infection caused by a germ called varicella-zoster virus. Currently, there is no cure for chickenpox caused by this virus. The most one can do is to prevent themselves from getting infected by the virus.
This type of infection is highly contagious. A kid who has been infected can spread the disease a day before presenting symptoms up to five days after presenting with rashes.
And how does one get infected? All it takes is one person. Either they make contact through touch, through breathing the same air, or through coming in contact with the infected person's bodily fluids (saliva, mucus, and even tears). So, yes, it does not take much to get infected, unless, of course, you were vaccinated or already had chickenpox.
How To Know If You Got Chickenpox
Now, don't go straight to our home remedies before checking if you truly have chickenpox first. Just because you saw a rash forming around your chest, it doesn't mean you have chickenpox. There could be a number of reasons why you suddenly have a pool of rashes appearing on a part of your body.
So, how do we make sure that what you have is chickenpox? The symptoms of this condition are the following:
- Fever (100°F or 37.8°C)
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Stomachache (usually lasts up to 2 days)
- Itchy skin rash that looks like small blisters
- Bumps in skin rash appear to have milk-looking liquid inside
- Scabs form after bumps pop
- Spots eventually disappear
Skin rashes are usually the indicators that set this condition apart from your usual viral infections like colds or flu. But, you can easily confuse chickenpox with measles. So, if your rashes appear to be flat red spots and are not at all itchy, what you have is measles.
If your rashes have bumps, are random in size, spread out your body, come in waves, and are very itchy, what you have might be chickenpox.
What to Expect When You Have Chickenpox
If you've confirmed that what you have is truly chickenpox, here are a few things you can expect:
1. It can last for up to 21 days
That's the reason why they bring out the oven mitts in movies when characters suddenly get chickenpox - because the itch is going to last up to 21 days. The virus also takes that long to be contagious. The good news is some people experience the end of the itching episodes by the 10th day.
2. It comes in stages
Stage 1 is when you have the red and bumpy rashes. When those rashes turn into blisters, that's when you've reached stage 2. Eventually, those blisters will break or pop, and that's when you're in the last stage of recovery. These signs are not just hints that the agony will be over; they're also telltale signs you're treating your chickenpox properly.
3. The rashes spread all over your body
As mentioned earlier, the rashes of chickenpox come in waves. First, they appear on your chest, your back, and your face. Then, they gradually spread throughout your body - such as your genitals, the inside of your mouth, and even your eyelids. So, yes, prepare to look like a huge, bumpy tomato when the virus from this disease spreads throughout your body.
4. You're at risk of getting shingles
Shingles is a disease that causes painful skin rashes. And, you only get it if you've had chickenpox before. The risk with contracting shingles is the risk of spreading chickenpox to people who haven't had their turn.
The good news is you can treat shingles or even prevent them. It takes a while, but with a little patience, they will go away in a week or two.
Home Remedies for Chickenpox
Since this disease is highly contagious, treating it at home when you get it is the best option not just for you but for the people you live with as well. So, what are our suggested remedies? Here are among our tried and tested:
1. Use Calamine Lotion
This product is going to be your new best friend when you get chickenpox. It contains zinc oxide that helps relieve itching. Using a clean finger or a cotton swab, smear calamine lotion on all the itchy areas in your body. Do NOT get this product near your eyes. Wash your hands thoroughly after applying it on your spots.
2. Sugar-free Popsicles for Mouth Sores
Remember when we said the rashes can get inside your mouth? If that happens to you, you can help relieve the itch inside with sugar-free popsicles. If it's your kid who got chickenpox and the rashes inside their mouths, these popsicles will be magical to them. Plus, these popsicles give your kids the hydration they need to avoid dehydration.
3. Oatmeal or Baking Soda the Itch Away
Another itch-soothing remedy you can try is to bathe in oatmeal or baking soda. Plenty of drugstores already have oatmeal-ready products that you can use for your bath. But, if you have some oatmeal or baking soda at home, feel free to use them to help relieve your itch.
Just pour 1 cup of baking soda into your bathtub, soak for not more than 20 minutes, and your itch is gone.
As for the oatmeal, you can grind it in a coffee grinder, then mix the ground oatmeal in warm water. Pour the mixture into your bathtub. Soak for not more than 20 minutes.
Don't have a coffee grinder? Put spoonfuls of oatmeal in a muslin bag or a pantyhose, then dip that into your bathtub. Soak in your homemade oatmeal-infused bath for not more than 20 minutes.
4. The Chamomile Compress
Chamomile Tea has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects. So, to relieve itching, brew a basin of chamomile tea, dip your washcloth in it, and use the washcloth on the areas of your body that is itchy.
5. Mitts All Over
All of the home remedies you've read so far are about relieving itch, and there is an important reason why relieving it is important. When you feel an itch, you scratch. And, when you scratch your bumpy rashes, you not only make this experience more uncomfortable but also expose your skin to more infection.
So, how do you avoid scratching on top of all the skin-itch relieving remedies we've suggested? Put oven mitts on. Clip your nails, while you're at it. If it's your kid that got the pox, put socks over their hands and legs. The better you are at avoiding the urge to scratch, the easier the recovery.
And, that wraps up all the need-to-know information about chickenpox. With this guide, hopefully, you'll be ready for your first chickenpox.
But in any case, before trying our tips mentioned above, make sure you talk to your doctor or your child's paediatrician and ask for their advice and diagnosis before treating chickenpox at home.
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it's important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn't serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.