Chicken pox is a mild but highly contagious disease that mainly affects children and is characterized by exceptionally itchy blisters all over the body. The disease tends to be severe when it occurs in adults. Chicken pox is widely recognized as the primary chicken pox symptoms are easily visible. Chicken pox is a disease caused due to the chicken pox virus known as the varicella-zoster virus.
Primary Chicken Pox Symptoms
The surest way of spotting the disease is by correctly recognizing the rash. In the beginning, the rashes might be often mistaken for insect bites or even a bad case of acne. Here are five typical chicken pox symptoms that will help you identify the rashes accurately and quickly.
Chicken Pox Symptoms – How To Identify The Rash
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The Rash Is Extremely Itchy
Keeping your fingers from scratching might probably be the hardest part of chicken pox, and this is also the most easily recognizable among the chicken pox symptoms.
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It Begins To Appear On The Face, Chest And Upper Back
Small red spots first show up on the face, chest, and upper back, usually about 10 to 21 days after you’ve been exposed to the disease.
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The Rash Forms An Irregular Pattern
These spots develop an irregular outline, with a clear and thin-walled raised vesicle. They are often compared to dew drops on a rose petal, and this is a defining characteristic of the chicken pox rash.
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The Spots Morph Into Blisters
The initial red rashes later develop into blisters in 10 to 12 hours’ time. The blisters are filled with a cloudy liquid and may appear in the mouth, genital areas, and eyelids, in which case they are often painful. Most blisters heal without leaving scars unless they become infected with bacteria from scratching.
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The Blisters Burst, Dry, Then Scab
These blisters go through a typical cycle of bursting, drying, and forming scabs.A scab is nothing but a hard crust formed where the blister once was, and these eventually fall off. The rash keeps going through this cycle, with new red spots appearing in clusters every 5 to 7 days. This is also why you might have all three types of the rash at the same time. Blisters are contagious till they dry up and start crusting.
Other Early Symptoms
Although the best way to spot chicken pox is through its typical red rash, other early symptoms also appear. The first chicken pox symptoms usually also include:
- A mild fever of around 38℃ or 100.4℉
- Aching muscles, stomach ache, headache
- Nausea
- Feeling of dullness
- Loss of appetite
You must consult a doctor as soon as you spot a rash that resembles the description provided above. Keep in mind that during the initial stages, chicken pox symptoms can be mild and hard to detect. If you have been exposed to chicken pox causes, you must check yourself for symptoms and go get chicken pox treatment.