|  | Conditions Treatments | Viruses

What to Do for Chicken Pox?

Chicken pox is a common condition that usually affects children and causes a red, itchy rash to appear on the skin. When a person contracts chicken pox, the bumps start out small and later fill with fluid, becoming blisters. Besides a rash, the patient may suffer from a fever, headache, loss of appetite and fatigue. Treat chicken pox using several different methods under the care of a physician.

  1. Antihistamines

    • When you have chicken pox, don't scratch the rash, even though it will feel itchy. When you scratch, you can lead to scarring or cause the skin to become infected. If the itching becomes overwhelming, an antihistamine may be appropriate. Benadryl may be permitted by your doctor to help relieve the itching. If a child is infected, cut her nails short to cut back on the damage caused by scratching.

    Itching Remedies

    • Calamine lotion is an over-the-counter product that can be applied to the infected person's skin. Calamine lotion dries out the area to relieve itching and can be applied daily.

      An oatmeal bath may help a person find relief from the uncomfortable itching that chicken pox causes. Fill a tub with lukewarm water. Once filled, pour a moderate amount of unflavored and uncooked oatmeal into the water. You can take an oatmeal bath several times throughout the day.

    Treament for Complications

    • Your doctor may not recommend any sort of treatment, but instead will recommend waiting it out until symptoms go away. If a doctor is worried you may develop an infection, he may recommend a course of antiviral medications. Antiviral drugs can lessen the severity of chicken pox and shorten the duration.

      For fevers, doctors will permit the use of an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Never give aspirin to chicken pox sufferers, since this puts the patient at risk of developing Reye's syndrome.

      If chicken pox leads to pneumonia or a skin infection, antibiotics may be necessary. In severe cases, you may need to be hospitalized for treatment for the complications.

Viruses - Related Articles