Treatment FAQ

what is the most effective treatment for chickenpox

by Dominique Waters Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Medication

Apr 28, 2021 · Treatments at Home for People with Chickenpox. There are several things that you can do at home to help relieve chickenpox symptoms and prevent skin infections. Calamine lotion and a cool bath with added baking soda, uncooked oatmeal, or colloidal oatmeal may help relieve some of the itching.

Self-care

Here are some of the treatments for chickenpox you can use to treat your condition: Emollients or soothing creams. You can use this in easing the itchiness of the rashes or spots. Drink plenty of fluid. Drinking plenty of fluid especially water helps in hydrating the body. This will eventually help the body to fight the chickenpox-causing virus. Antihistamine tablets.

Nutrition

Jun 15, 2015 · Treatment of chickenpox with oral aciclovir given within 24 hours of onset of rash may be more effective than placebo in otherwise healthy children. It also seems to be more effective than placebo at treating chickenpox in otherwise healthy adults.

What are some natural remedies for chickenpox?

Jan 08, 2019 · Both wet compresses and cool baths may be most effective at relieving itching when they’re done every three to four hours for the first few days of chickenpox symptoms. Calamine lotion Applying...

How to cure chicken pox at home?

Apr 15, 2019 · 7 Home Remedies for Chickenpox 1. Apply calamine lotion. Calamine lotion can help reduce itching. This lotion contains skin-soothing properties,... 2. Serve sugar-free popsicles. Chickenpox can also appear inside your mouth. This can be especially painful. Encouraging... 3. Bathe in oatmeal. Oatmeal ...

What medications treat chickenpox?

May 08, 2021 · The chickenpox (varicella) vaccine is the best way to prevent chickenpox. Experts from the CDC estimate that the vaccine provides complete protection from the virus for nearly 98% of people who receive both of the recommended doses. When the vaccine doesn't provide complete protection, it significantly lessens the severity of chickenpox.

How do you get rid of chicken pox?

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What to do if you have chickenpox?

For people who are at high risk of complications from chickenpox, doctors sometimes prescribe medications to shorten the length of the infection and to help reduce the risk of complications .

What to use for chickenpox sores?

Calamine lotion dabbed on the spots. A soft, bland diet if chickenpox sores develop in the mouth. Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others) for itching. Check with your doctor to make sure your child can safely take antihistamines. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) for a mild fever.

How to diagnose chickenpox?

If there's any doubt about the diagnosis, chickenpox can be confirmed with lab tests, including blood tests or a culture of lesion samples.

What is the treatment for brain inflammation?

He or she may prescribe antibiotics for skin infections and pneumonia. Brain inflammation (encephalitis) is usually treated with antiviral drugs. You may need to be hospitalized.

Can chickenpox sting?

The chickenpox rash can be very itchy, and broken vesicles sometimes sting. These discomforts, along with fever, headache and fatigue, can make anyone miserable. For relief, try:

Does chickenpox need to be treated?

In otherwise healthy children, chickenpox typically needs no medical treatment. Your doctor may prescribe an antihistamine to relieve itching. But for the most part, the disease is allowed to run its course.

Can you give someone with chickenpox ibuprofen?

Talk with your doctor before giving any type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) — to someone who has chickenpox. Some studies suggest this type of medication may lead to skin infections or tissue damage.

What is the best medicine for chickenpox?

Use Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for Pain and Fever. If you or your child has a high fever or achiness caused by chickenpox, reach for the Tylenol. It can even help relieve pain associated with sores that develop on your skin or in your mouth. It’s safe for most people, including pregnant women and children over 2 months old.

How long does it take for chickenpox to heal?

Chickenpox usually runs its course in 5 to 10 days. But if you have the itchy rash caused by the virus, that can feel like a very long time. Fortunately, there are things you can do at home to ease your symptoms while your body heals itself.

How to get rid of itchy spots on face?

Dab or pat (don’t rub) your skin dry. Wear loose, cotton clothing so your skin can breathe. Dab calamine lotion on your itchy spots. Try an antihistamine, like Benadryl, to ease your symptoms.

What are the symptoms of chickenpox?

Chickenpox comes with pesky symptoms like fever and an itchy rash. But there are number of things you can do at home to help relieve your symptoms until the virus passes.

How old are babies at risk for chickenpox?

Newborn babies under 4 weeks old are also at increased risk for complications from chickenpox.

Can you take Tylenol for chickenpox?

If you or your child has a high fever or achiness caused by chickenpox, reach for the Tylenol. It can even help relieve pain associated with sores that develop on your skin or in your mouth. It’s safe for most people, including pregnant women and children over 2 months old.

Can a 4 week old get chickenpox?

Newborn babies under 4 weeks old are also at increased risk for complications from chickenpox. If you’re at risk for severe chickenpox and already have symptoms, your doctor might prescribe an antiviral medication called acyclovir ( Sitavig, Zovirax ). It can help to make your symptoms less severe.

Chickenpox: What causes the condition?

The main reason for the illness is the varicella-zoster virus. It is a communicable disease and over 90% of individuals that have no vaccine may develop chickenpox if exposed to the virus. The spreading of the virus varies, it can be skin to skin contact and it can also spread thru sneezing or a cough from anyone who has it.

Chickenpox: What are the symptoms of the condition?

Usually, the symptoms of chickenpox are much more severe in adults than that of in children. The expectation is that they’ll feel discomfort for several days.

The cure for Chickenpox: What are the various treatments for it?

The cure for chickenpox that may help in easing all the symptoms despite the fact that the immune system is dealing with the virus. Here are some of the treatments for chickenpox you can use to treat your condition:

Antiviral Medications

Antiviral medications can help in limiting the severity of the condition. These medications do not kill the virus, however, it helps in stopping the virus from multiplying. Antiviral medications are advised to be taken by those adults or teenagers with chickenpox. However, this only applies if it starts within 24 hours of the rash development.

Conclusion

Chickenpox is really a serious case or condition that must be treated as soon as the symptoms occur. This is to reduce the risk of it and treat all its complications. The cure for chickenpox are all effective and might be inexpensive so you should treat your illness not only for yourself.

What is the best medicine for chickenpox?

Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Motrin (ibuprofen), both non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can help relieve many of these symptoms. If you have a young child with chickenpox, it's important to make sure the dose you give her is appropriate for her age and weight.

How to prevent chickenpox?

Preventing Chickenpox: From Handwashing to Vaccination. For most people, treatment for chickenpox simply involves letting it run its course. Most cases do so without complications in a week to 10 days. 1  Oatmeal baths, calamine lotion, over-the-counter pain relievers and antihistamines, and other options are often used to ease discomfort ...

What is the best antihistamine for itching?

For severe itching, an oral antihistamine such as Benedryl (diphenhydramine) may help. This OTC medication, commonly used to treat symptoms of allergies and asthma, causes drowsiness, though, so it's best taken at night. For daytime relief, a newer-generation antihistamine such as Claritin (loratadine), Zyrtec (cetirizine), or Allegra (fexofenadine) can help relieve itching without the sedating effects.

How long does chickenpox last?

The active stage of chickenpox lesions lasts about four to seven days. However, anyone who contracts it is considered contagious—able to transmit the virus to others—from a period of one to two days before its characteristic rash appears until its lesions crust over. Generally, this amounts to a period of one to two weeks. 4

What is the drug called for chickenpox?

Certain people who are at risk of becoming seriously ill from chickenpox sometimes are advised to receive a drug called VariZIG (varicella zoster immune globulin). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, persons at risk of severe varicella include children with leukemia or lymphoma who haven't been vaccinated; people taking immune-system-suppressing drugs and those with immune deficiencies; newborns whose mothers become infected with varicella from five days before until two days after birth; certain premature babies exposed to the virus; and certain pregnant women.

How long does it take for Zovirax to work?

The timing is tricky, though. To be effective, Zovirax must be taken within 24 hours of the first sign of a breakout. What's more, the payoff of this perfect timing is negligible for otherwise healthy kids and adults: At most, it will cut the illness short by about a day and decrease the severity of the rash.

Can you scratch with chickenpox?

The best defense against scratching is not having anything to scratch with at all (at least anything sharp). Scratching a chickenpox rash can cause the blisters to open, leaving skin vulnerable to secondary infections and permanent scarring.

What causes chickenpox?

Chickenpox is caused by primary infection with varicella zoster virus. In healthy people, it is usually a mild, self-limiting illness, characterised by low-grade fever, malaise, and a generalised, itchy, vesicular rash. However, severe disease can develop leading to pneumonitis, hepatitis, thrombocytopenia, or encephalitis. Risk of severe disease is higher in pregnancy, in neonates (<28 days of life), and in people who are immunocompromised due to medication or disease. In most people, infection is uncomplicated. The most common complication in immunocompetent people is secondary bacterial skin infection, often seen in children younger than 5 years of age. Less commonly, acute cerebellar ataxia can occur in older children. At all ages, infection can be complicated by soft tissue or deeper invasive group A streptococcal infection. Following primary infection, the varicella zoster virus remains latent in the body. Subsequently, it can re-activate to cause herpes zoster (shingles).The prevention and treatment of herpes zoster is outside the scope of this review (see review on Postherpetic neuralgia).

How long after rash can you take aciclovirdo?

When given later than 24 hours after onset of rash, aciclovirdoes not seem so effective at treating chickenpox compared with placebo, although the evidence for this is sparse.

Is aciclovir more effective than placebo?

Intravenous aciclovirmay be more effective than placebo at reducing time to full crusting and clinical deterioration from chickenpox in children with malignancy and receiving chemotherapy.

Is chickenpox contagious?

Chickenpox is extremely contagious. More than 90% of unvaccinated people will become infected during their lifetime, but infection occurs at different ages in different parts of the world. In the US, the UK, and Japan, more than 80% of people have been infected by the age of 10 years, and by the age of 20 to 30 years in India, South East Asia, and the West Indies. It is usually a mild and self-limiting disease, but it can be severely complicated by pneumonitis or disseminated disease in some individuals, particularly neonates and those who are immunocompromised.

Does aciclovir help with chickenpox?

We found no evidence assessing aciclovir for the treatment of chickenpox in immunocompromised adults.

What is the best medicine for chickenpox?

Antiviral Drugs for Chickenpox. The main group of medications that may be prescribed for chickenpox is antiviral drugs . These drugs interfere with the action and development of viruses within the body. They don’t actively kill the target virus or resolve an infection on their own.

What antiviral is used for chickenpox?

The following antiviral drugs may be prescribed for chickenpox: Zovirax (acyclovir) This is the main antiviral drug prescribed for chickenpox. It’s usually taken by mouth, but may be given intravenously (by IV) in people with severe complications.

How to stop itching from chickenpox?

Both wet compresses and cool baths may be most effective at relieving itching when they’re done every three to four hours for the first few days of chickenpox symptoms. Calamine lotion Applying dabs of calamine lotion to chickenpox blisters may reduce itching. Just be careful not to get it in your eyes.

How to treat chickenpox in children?

The standard treatment for chickenpox in children is simply watching and waiting for the disease to run its course, while taking proper home care measures to ease the itching and other symptoms. But in some cases, more proactive treatment is recommended.

What to do if your child has chickenpox?

It’s also important to let your doctor know about any ongoing health conditions you or your child has, because taking antiviral medications may be recommended in certain cases. ...

Why are antiviral drugs given to teenagers?

Antiviral drugs are commonly given to adults and teenagers with chickenpox, because these groups tend to have more severe symptoms and are at greater risk for complications.

How to stop chickenpox from scratching?

These include: Cool compresses Applying a cloth soaked in cold water to particularly painful or itchy areas, and leaving it in place for a few minutes to an hour, may ease discomfort and reduce the temptation to scratch.

What to do if you get chickenpox?

If you do get chickenpox, treatment involves managing symptoms until your body fights off the infection. The disease most often affects children. Here are some kid-friendly remedies that can help you or your little one feel better until your immune system fends off the virus. 1.

How to get rid of itchy skin from chickenpox?

Use chamomile compresses. The chamomile tea in your kitchen cabinet may also soothe itchy chickenpox areas. Chamomile has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects. Trusted Source. when applied to your skin. Brew two to three chamomile tea bags and allow to cool or place in a warm bath.

What to do for itchy chickenpox blisters?

You may also apply oatmeal lotions to skin. This can have a soothing and moisturizing effect on itchy chickenpox blisters.

How to get rid of chickenpox on eyes?

1. Apply calamine lotion. Calamine lotion can help reduce itching. This lotion contains skin-soothing properties, including zinc oxide. Using a clean finger or cotton swab, dab or spread calamine lotion on itchy skin areas. Note that you shouldn’t use calamine lotion on or around chickenpox on your eyes. 2.

How to help a toddler with itch?

5. Take baking soda baths. Another itch-relieving option to add to a bath is baking soda. Add one cup of baking soda to a shallow, lukewarm bath. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Your child can take up to three baths a day if they find this approach soothing.

How to stop a child from scratching their hands?

To prevent the temptation to scratch at night or during naptime, put mittens or soft socks over your child’s hands. Trimming your child’s fingernails so they won’t damage affected areas can also help.

Does oatmeal help with chickenpox?

Oatmeal baths can be soothing and itch-relie ving for chickenpox. Taking a bath won’t spread the chickenpox from one area of your skin to another.

What is the best way to prevent chickenpox?

The chickenpox (varicella) vaccine is the best way to prevent chickenpox. Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that the vaccine provides complete protection from the virus for nearly 98 percent of people who receive both of the recommended doses. When the vaccine doesn't provide complete protection, it significantly lessens the severity of chickenpox.

What to do if you are pregnant and not immune to chickenpox?

If you're pregnant and not immune to chickenpox, talk to your doctor about the risks to you and your unborn child.

Why do chickenpox blisters turn crusty?

The spots quickly fill with a clear fluid, rupture and then turn crusty. Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It causes an itchy rash with small, fluid-filled blisters. Chickenpox is highly contagious to people who haven't had the disease or been vaccinated against it.

How long does it take for a chickenpox rash to appear?

The itchy blister rash caused by chickenpox infection appears 10 to 21 days after exposure to the virus and usually lasts about five to 10 days. Other signs and symptoms, which may appear one to two days before the rash, include: Fever. Loss of appetite.

How does chickenpox spread?

Chickenpox infection is caused by a virus. It can spread through direct contact with the rash. It can also spread when a person with the chickenpox coughs or sneezes and you inhale the air droplets.

How many phases does chickenpox go through?

Once the chickenpox rash appears, it goes through three phases:

Can a doctor prescribe chickenpox?

Your doctor can also prescribe medications to lessen the severity of chickenpox and treat complications, if necessary. To avoid infecting others in the waiting room, call ahead for an appointment and mention that you think you or your child may have chickenpox.

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Treatment

Preparation

Prevention

Overview

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Karthikeya T M
Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Most of the time it runs its course and no treatment is recommended. Medication may be necessary to manage the symptoms.
Medication

Antipyretics: Prescribed to reduce fever.

Acetaminophen


Antivirals: To control viral replication.

Acyclovir


Antihistamines: They are prescribed to reduce itching.

Diphenhydramine

Self-care

Always talk to your provider before starting anything.

  • Rest adequately
  • Soothing lotion and moisturizers - Calamine solution can be applied on the rashes
  • Colloidal oatmeal also gives relief from itching

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Banana, rice, apple and toast
  • Broken wheat
  • Carrot, sweet potato, beans, potato and cabbage

Foods to avoid:

  • Milk, ice cream, butter and cheese
  • Fried food
  • Salty food
  • Junk food

Specialist to consult

Primary care physician
Specializes in the acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health.

Adverse effects

Medical uses

  • In otherwise healthy children, chickenpox typically needs no medical treatment. Your doctor may prescribe an antihistamine to relieve itching. But for the most part, the disease is allowed to run its course.
See more on mayoclinic.org

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