Chicken pox refers to the so-called childhood diseases, which are typical for babies. In childhood, it proceeds quickly and easily, without causing severe discomfort. Chickenpox in adults, on the contrary, can lead to numerous complications and cause the development of shingles.

So, why can adults get chickenpox, how does the disease begin, what are its characteristic symptoms, and can it be cured with conventional medicines?

Causes of chickenpox in adults

Chicken pox can only be infected by airborne droplets. This can happen in a family where there is already a patient, at work, in crowded places. The fact is that the virus is very volatile, and in windy weather it can spread over long distances.

How chickenpox begins

The first signs of chickenpox are very similar to the onset of the flu or a common cold.

They may be as follows:

  1. The patient notes a sharp appearing weakness, often there is a feeling of nausea.
  2. A slight temperature appears, which indicates the beginning of the body's struggle with the virus.
  3. In some cases, patients begin to complain of poor coordination of movements, which may occur due to severe headache and increasing intoxication.
  4. There is also a decrease or a complete lack of appetite, poor sleep, and an increase in fever.

These symptoms are characteristic of the onset of the disease. Soon rashes will join them, and body temperature will rapidly go up.

Incubation period

The incubation period is the time interval between the virus entering the body and the onset of the first signs of the disease. As a rule, it lasts from several days to three weeks, it all depends on the state of human health and the capabilities of his immune system.

Despite the fact that during this period the disease has not yet manifested itself, the patient becomes a carrier of the virus and is able to infect a large number of people, since the disease is transmitted by airborne droplets.

Symptoms and signs of the disease

As soon as the incubation period comes to an end, the symptoms of chickenpox in adults begin to manifest themselves in full force:

  1. An acute onset and course is always characteristic of the disease. Patients complain of a sharp deterioration in well-being, the appearance of aches in the bones and muscles.
  2. A sharp rise in temperature, sometimes above 40 degrees, is noted. Patients are tormented by weakness and chills, lymph nodes increase on the body.
  3. Rashes appear on the body, which are wave-like in nature, with a severe course of the disease, they affect the mucous membranes of the body. The rash is very itchy.
  4. Pronounced intoxication is observed, in severe cases, damage to the brain and nervous system are possible.

The disease begins to decline only when new rashes on the body cease to appear, and old ones become covered with crusts. Later, in their place, a young pinkish skin forms, which sharply reacts to temperature changes.

Diagnostic measures

Diagnosis of chickenpox in adults is not difficult, since its symptoms are pronounced: the appearance of a rash on the body, worsening of general well-being, fever.

An infectious disease specialist or therapist is involved in the treatment of the disease. The patient may need to take a blood test for the presence of specific antibodies that will indicate the stage of the disease.

How many days does chickenpox in adults last

Chickenpox in adults, due to the difficult course, can last from two weeks to a month. Everything will depend on the course of the disease, as well as the associated secondary infection or complications.

The disease subsided when, after the last rash, new blisters did not appear, and the existing ones began to heal and crust.

Chickenpox virus treatment

Chicken pox requires complex treatment, when both medications and alternative treatment are involved, as well as diet correction and regular hygiene procedures. Only such an approach can protect the patient from the severe course of the disease and contribute to a speedy recovery.

Drug therapy

There are no special drugs designed to combat chickenpox.

However, patients are often prescribed medications designed to normalize the condition of patients:

  1. Antiviral drugs and immunomodulators are designed to help the body quickly overcome a viral infection.
  2. Antihistamines are prescribed in cases when the itching from the rashes becomes unbearable, the patient cannot fall asleep normally.
  3. If the temperature rises above 38.5 degrees, you may need to take antipyretics.
  4. In some cases, the patient may be prescribed antibiotics. This happens when a secondary infection occurs, for example. Combed blisters begin to fester.
  5. The rash is treated with pharmacy antiseptic and drying drugs.

Comprehensive treatment with drugs can stabilize the patient's condition and minimize the risk of complications.

Folk remedies

Decoctions and infusions can be used as an additional tool. With their help, rashes are disinfected, unpleasant symptoms are removed.Decoctions of herbs such as chamomile and sage are especially effective when rashes appear in the mouth. For this, 1 filter bag of dry grass is poured with a glass of boiling water, allowed to cool, and then rinsed with mouth obtained infusion.

You can make lemon water for the patient, such a drink will not only saturate the body with vitamin C, but will also help to remove toxins faster. To do this, half a lemon cut into slices is taken per 1 liter of boiled water. You can add a little sugar if desired. Mix all the ingredients in the carafe, let it brew a little.

It is important to remember that infusions alone are not able to completely cure the patient. They give a good result only in combination with drug therapy.

Hygiene rules

During the illness, one should carefully approach personal hygiene with particular care and accuracy:

  1. The first week after the onset of the disease should not take a shower, as there is a high risk of injury to the blisters and their subsequent infection. If the body temperature exceeds 37.5 degrees, or the patient feels pronounced chills, bath procedures should also be abandoned. After a shower, it is necessary to treat the rash with an antiseptic, while for each inflamed element you need to use a disposable cotton swab. This will help prevent the spread of infection throughout the body.
  2. Even after the acute phase has passed, the duration of bathing should not be more than 5 minutes, so as not to provoke excessive soaking of the crusts on the body. Until complete recovery, it is not recommended to use shower gels or scrubs, as they can adversely affect the condition of the skin.
  3. It is important to change bedding and underwear, towels daily. All clothing should be made only from natural fabrics.
  4. Wet cleaning in the room where the patient is located is carried out daily. Do not forget about regular airing.

Hygiene is one of the most important points in the treatment of chickenpox. Failure to comply with the above rules can worsen the condition of the patient and provoke prolongation of the disease.

Separately, it is worth mentioning two more important factors affecting the speed of recovery of the patient.

  1. Compliance with bed rest. It is a mandatory item throughout the acute stage of the disease. This will help not to waste strength, and also minimize the risk of catching a secondary infection.
  2. Compliance with the diet. A weakened body needs nourishment. The best option is the use of low-fat soups and broths, boiled meat, dairy products, cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits. It is important not to create an unnecessary burden on the body, so fried and fatty foods, foods with a lot of dyes and preservatives, fast food, sweets are removed from the diet. It is also worth abandoning the use of any alcohol-containing drinks.

Only careful observance of all the above points will contribute to the rapid normalization of the patient's condition.

Possible complications and consequences

Chicken pox is dangerous because it contributes to the emergence of numerous complications:

  1. Scars after a rash. If the patient could not resist and began to comb the blisters, after them with a high degree of probability suppuration will occur, leading to the appearance of small scars. With conventional makeup products, this defect is almost impossible to fix, cosmetic procedures may be required.
  2. The heart suffers greatly, at the end of the chickenpox, a person may encounter numerous violations in the work of the organ.
  3. The kidneys are disturbed, which can lead to a violation of the water-salt balance in the body.
  4. Also, lesions of the lymphatic system, skin diseases, pneumonia, suppuration and abscesses are often observed, in critical cases - sepsis.
  5. In pregnant women, a child with numerous pathologies can be born, the fetal death is likely.
  6. Almost all patients who have had chickenpox subsequently experience shingles of varying degrees of intensity.

Complications arise not only when the patient’s body is difficult to cope with the disease. Often, patients provoke the occurrence of complications themselves, when they do not fully comply with all the instructions of the attending physician.

Chickenpox vaccine for adults

Sometimes experts suggest to vaccinate against chickenpox adults.

The vaccine will help protect against infection. This is especially relevant for pregnant women and women planning a pregnancy, people with weak immunity, severe chronic diseases, and the lack of primary immunity.

The vaccine will help protect against an ailment that is difficult to tolerate by adult patients and often leads to herpes zoster and other serious complications. It will help pregnant women to maintain the health of the fetus, and in extreme cases, to avoid its death.

Disease prevention

As such, prophylaxis against chickenpox does not exist.

Nevertheless, it is possible to protect, or significantly reduce the risk of a disease, if you adhere to some recommendations:

  1. If you suspect a disease from any of the relatives or acquaintances, completely exclude contact with the person until he recovers. If a family member is sick, then the patient must be quarantined: he must be in a separate room, use his own dishes and bedding. Upon contact, use a face shield and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. You need to clean the room daily, it is important not to forget about regular airing.
  2. Strengthen the immune system. To do this, you should engage in sports, the diet should be as much as possible fresh vegetables and fruits. It is important to dress according to the weather, not to chill.
  3. According to the doctor's prescription, you can be vaccinated against chickenpox. It may be especially relevant for women who have never had this disease, but are planning a pregnancy.

The above measures, if they do not protect, will allow tolerably tolerating chickenpox, without causing dangerous consequences.

Chicken pox, although considered a childhood disease, is difficult to tolerate by adult patients and often leads to the development of numerous serious complications. To prevent this from happening, it is important to protect yourself from possible infection, as well as follow all the doctor’s instructions if the disease does occur.

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