I've read it before, adults infected of chicken pox but I just shrugged it off, mentally telling
myself that it might be a rare case and that I’ll never experience it.
Little did I know that it is
still possible when I was down with this disease (and still currently am).
It started with me having
chills and fever for two days. And then I saw a red blister which I thought was
just a pimple in my left eyebrow. And then I felt something was itchy at my back
so when I touched it, it bursts. I just ignored it at first. But then when I
also felt that my scalp has a lot of those bumps, then I worried especially that
there were fresh blisters sprouting in my face, chest and especially my back.
What worries me the most is
that I have a 15-month old baby and the possibility of him being infected so I
had myself checked. And the doctor confirmed that I am inflicted with chicken pox.
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| Even celebrities like Angelina Jolie contract chicken pox for adults |
What is Chicken Pox?
This is a highly contagious
disease known scientifically as Varicella cause by initial infection of the varicella-zoster
virus. Chickenpox occurs worldwide, it doesn't choose-it can affect persons of
all races, gender and age. Study reveals though that it is largely a childhood
disease with most cases occurring in children before 10 years of age.
What You Need to Know about Chicken Pox
Chicken pox often is
experienced during our childhood. It is said that people who have had
chickenpox almost always develop lifetime immunity (extremely unlikely to get
it again). However, the virus remains dormant in the body and it can reactivate
later in life and cause shingles or it can be possible for those immuno-compromised individuals.
According to WebMD “It is
spread by droplets from a sneeze or cough, or by contact with the clothing, bed
linens or oozing blisters of an infected person. The onset of symptoms is 10 to
21 days after exposure. The disease is most contagious a day or two before the
rash appears and until the rash is completely dry and scabbed over.”
Summer heat can trigger the
spread of this disease as well. So since we are currently on the hottest month
of the year, you may want to be very vigilant about preventing it.
Indications of Having Chicken Pox
Just like children, chickenpox
usually begins as an itchy rash of red papules (small bumps) progressing to
vesicles (blisters) on the stomach, back and face, and then will spread to the
arms, limbs and other parts of the body. Blisters can also arise inside the
mouth.
The
spread pattern can vary from person to person. The fluid-filled blisters tend
to be very itchy and uncomfortable.
Just like what I had experienced,
it started as high fever, headache, chills in the early morning and even can
cause vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Most adults who get chickenpox may
experience symptoms for up to 48 hours before breaking out in rash. These
include high fever, body malaise, pounding headache, loss of appetite and
abdominal pain.
Study will tell that the condition
is usually more severe in adults than in children and can be life-threatening
in complicated cases.
How to Treat Chicken Pox
Most cases of chickenpox require little or no treatment beyond treating the symptoms. It is advisable to seek medical help so that the doctor can prescribe medications effective for shortening the duration of chickenpox symptoms and may be recommended for certain people with chickenpox, such as pregnant women, those with a weakened immune system, and adults who seek medical advice within 24 hours of the rash appearing.
As for me, my doctor gave me
painkillers, oral medication for my fever, antihistamine to relieve the
itching and swelling, antibiotics to prevent and a secondary bacterial skin
infection which can develop to bacterial pneumonia. A lot of water intake is also recommended to flush out the toxins within the body and to avoid dehydration.
It is also advisable to stay at
home and be isolated until all of the blisters have burst and crusted over.
Please take note that it takes at least 10-21 days after contact with an
infected person for someone to develop chickenpox as well. This is how long it
takes for the virus to replicate and come out in the characteristic rash in the
new host.
Because of the serious
complications that may occur in immuno-compromised individuals, children and
pregnant women should stay away from patients who has a known case of
chickenpox. As always, prevention is better than cure.
Foods to Avoid When One has Chicken Pox
My doctor advised me to eat
healthy food as this will enhance my immune system to help fight off the
disease quickly. Take note, eating food will not cure the disease directly but
it will help the body to combat the symptoms of it. Eating poorly with an unhealthy
diet can only worsen the disease, so make sure that the patient gets the
nutrients they need.
1. Fruits, especially citrus ones are good like oranges, grapes, apples but stay away from mangoes, pineapples
and watermelon for the mean time.
2. Avoid
chicken and eggs as this will aggravate the itchiness.
3. Stay
away from sweets, like chocolates, cakes and any other sugary delicatessens.
4. Set
aside coffee and other hot drinks that’ll make you perspire. As much as needed,
during the whole course, you just avoid sweating as this will irritate the
blisters.
5. Avoid
salty foods, those with cheese and spicy meals.
6. Avoid
chips, junk food, processed food and those with a lot of additives.
7. Stay
away from red meat and fried foods.
My Personal View on Chicken Pox
As of writing, I am still on my
third day and that according to relatives and my researches, there are still a
lot of things to experience especially when all the fluid-filled blisters burst
already and how itchy or painful the scabs are on their drying state. But I am
praying so hard that it’ll be easy on me and rather for me to be healed immediately.
I am just looking at the positive side of it for easier recovery.
For my son, I asked my mother
to bring him to his pediatrician for possible medication or recommendation so
that we can prevent him from experiencing it too soon.
I guess what I can recommend is
for you to always take good care of your health because most often we always
compromise our health. And you will only recognize how important it is when you
are down with sickness already, just like me. Stay healthy, and live healthy.
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