Q: What is chicken pox?
A: Chicken pox is a common illness that gives you a awful itchy rash and red spots of blisters all over your body. Mostly, children would get it but people would get it at one point of their lives if they didn't take the chicken pox vaccine. After you have chicken pox, you will most likely never have it again. But, the virus stays in your body long after you get the illness. If the virus become active again, you will have a painful viral infection called the shingles.
Q: What are the symptoms?
A: The symptoms you may get is at first you are getting a fever, a headache, and a sore throat. You may feel tired, sick, and is not hungry. One or two days later, a chicken pox rash will soon appear. It usually takes 14 to 16 days to get the symptoms of chickenpox after you have been around someone with the virus. This is called the incubation period. After the rash or red spots of blisters appear, it would usually take about 1 to 2 days for the spot to go through all the stages. This includes blistering, bursting, drying, and crusting over. New red spots will appear every day for up to 5 to 7 days. When your blisters have crusted over, you may go back to work, to school, or whatever place to need to go. This is usually about 10 days after the first symptoms start.
Q: What increases the risk of you having chicken pox?
A: You are at risk of getting the chicken pox if you had not taken the chicken pox vaccine and if you lived with a family member (person you lived with) who had chicken pox before. Also, if you have been outdoors more than an hour with someone who had chicken pox. Another reason is if you are in the hospital and someone there has chicken pox or is cared by a staff member who later develops chicken pox
Q: How can chicken pox be prevented?
A: Yes, chicken pox vaccines are available. Vaccination can prevent the onset of the disease.
Q: How can chicken pox be treated?
A: Most people only use home treatment. Home treatment includes resting and taking medicines to reduce fever and itching. People with long-term diseases or other health problems may need more treatment for chickenpox. They may need immunoglobulin treatment (IG) or antiviral medicine. Your doctor can give you these soon after you are exposed to the virus to help you feel better sooner.