Alternative health Treatments for chicken pox

Also known as varicella, chickenpox is highly contagious, but is usually a mild illness with low-grade fever and a blistery rash. Symptoms show 12-14 days after infection, starting with a raised temperature and an itchy rash – usually on the trunk, which spreads to the limbs, face and head. The pink spots soon turn into watery blisters, then burst or shrivel and, after about 5 days, form scabs.

Chicken pox is considered to be a cleansing illness, giving the body a chance to detoxify, so plenty of spots is a good sign, even if it is uncomfortable and unsightly for the patient.

The blisters can be very itchy, and it becomes a more serious illness the older the person is. Chicken pox can appear as shingles in adults exposed to a child who has chickenpox.

Likely causes:

It is a viral infection and so is caught from someone with the illness, via the air of through touching a blister.

What your doctor might suggest:

Very little as the illness must take its course. It is important to keep the patient comfortable and to watch the temperature. It can usually be kept under control by applying a cool sponge. You may be advised to apply calamine lotion to prevent itching and will be told to leave the spots alone, otherwise scarring can occur.[amazon-product align=”right” small=”1″]0852072732[/amazon-product]

Antibiotics will be prescribe if you suffer from over inflamed spots, high fever, excessive coughing or vomiting, or if it effects the eyes. When a fever lasts more than a few days or there is an obvious chest infection accompanying the rash, see your health provider – very rarely, chickenpox pneumonia can occur as a secondary infection.

Alternative Health treatments:

Western herbalism

calendula tea can be swabbed onto the scabs to help stop the burning itch, as can an infusion of elderflowers.
To ease any fever try a dessertspoonful of herbal tea, four times daily – choose from yarrow, lime blossom, chamomile, catnip or meadowsweet for children over the age of 6. For children beneath this age, give just one teaspoon.
A witch hazel compress can be applied directly to the spots or added to the bath to ease discomfort.
A tea can be made from 1 teaspoon dried Catnip leaves, 1 teaspoon dried raspberry leaves and 1 teaspoon dried spearmint leaves.

Crumble the herbs, mix together and use 1/2 teaspoon to 1 cup of boiling water. Allow to steep covered for 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey and give 1 dessertspoonful 3 times a day for children over 6 and 1 tsp for children below this age.

Make an anti-itch lotion: Fill a 500ml (1pint) jug with a mixture of chopped fresh lavender flowers, chamomile flowers, plantain leaves and chickweed and cover with boiling water. Cover and leave to go cold. Strain, squeeze the herbs thoroughly and repeat the process using the strained liquid and fresh chopped herbs. Strain through coffee filter paper, add 1 cup of witch hazel. Pour into a spray bottle. Keep refrigerated and spray the spots lightly or use as a lotion to dab on and cool the blisters.

[amazon-product small=”1″]0143002651[/amazon-product]Frequent baths are soothing using oat and lavender bath bags (tie a handful of rolled oats and crushed lavender flowers in muslin or thin cloth, drop in the bath and squeeze to release the milky liquid. Use the bag to dab the spots, be gentle, as it’s important not to break the blisters)

Bach flower remedies

Chicory, hornbeam and cherry plum to relieve discomfort.
Impatiens for irritability.
Crab apple can be diluted and applied directly to the skin to encourage healing.
Olive is useful during convalescence.

Aromatherapy[amazon-product align=”right” small=”1″]0751312649[/amazon-product]

lavender oil can be applied neat to spots to relieve itching and promote healing.
A few drop chamomile can be added to the bath, or a very light massage with tea tree, chamomile and lavender can be given.
Alternatively, Add 20 drops lavender essential oil (a drop at a time to prevent lumping) to 2 cups bicarbonate of soda. Stir constantly. Mix 1 or 2 teaspoons of this paste with enough cold water to make a milky lotion. Dab the lotion on the spots with cotton wool balls or add enough water to make a very thin lotion, pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray the spotty areas. Shake well before use and repeat as often as needed.

Biochemic tissue salts

Ferr.phos is indicated in all childhood illnesses, in the acute, early stages.

Homeopathy

If your child has come into contact with chicken pox, or there is an epidemic, Variolinum can be taken and if your child acquires the illness, it should be less severe.
At the onset of symptoms, to reduce restlessness and ease irritation, use Rhus tox.
If the patient is weepy and not thirsty, use Pulsatilla nigricans. If there is a fever or the pulse rate increases try Aconitum napellus.
If the patient is irritable with large blisters and cough and cold symptoms use Antimoniom tart.
Belladonna is always useful where there is a fever.

Other Alternative Health ideas

Water, water, water! Keep fluid levels up and get plenty of rest.
Raw fruit and vegetable juices (particularly carrot, watercress, orange and lemon) are beneficial for raising the white blood cell count and thus getting rid of the virus quicker.
Lots of garlic taken in the diet will help to boost the immune system, along with a cleansing diet based on fruit and vegetables.
Baking soda can be added to the bath to ease itching.
Try not to scratch – keep nails short and if a very young child has it, then try and get them to wear scratch-mittens.
If scarring occurs, rub a little vitamin E oil onto the scars once all the scabs have completely dried up. Colloidal silver applied to spots will help prevent secondary infection and scarring.