Chicken Pox: What you may not know about it.

Many of you have heard and have had chicken pox at an early age of your life, but do you know how and why chickenpox is caused?

Chickenpox is a common skin disease caused by the virus called Varicella (which is also the scientific name for the disease). Most people contract the disease between the ages of 5 - 15. When adults are infected with chicken pox, it is usually more severe than it would be in children. Varicella belongs to the family of Herpes viruses.

Why do people get infected with Chickenpox?

Chickenpox is highly contagious and infects the human body very quickly. This is also the reason why children get the disease since their immune system is not strong enough to counteract the disease. It is passed between family members and classmates through airborne and droplets in the air. It can also be transmitted by contact with articles of clothing and other items that are exposed to open sores.Patients are contagious up to five days (more commonly, one to two days) before and five days after the date that their rash appears.

What are the signs and symptoms of Chickenpox?

The common symptoms of the disease are mild fever, weakness, rash which are the first stage of the disease. Once chickenpox persists, the person develops red spots which become blisters that burst and create open sores. It usually begins on the scalp, sensitive areas of the body and then arms and legs. The rashes tend to be very itchy and can create scars if not treated properly.

Treatments:

Many of the treatments for chickenpox are meant to decrease the symptoms such as itching. For example, Tylenol can be used to decrease fevers and aches that are associated with viral infection. Children should never be given aspirin because there is a risk of developing Reye's syndrome which is a disease associated with liver and brain dysfunction. Many people who are infected with chickenpox also take frequent oatmeal bath and can decrease the itching. They also use soothing lotions and moisturizers such as calamine lotion.

Many people get infected with chickenpox once never get it again because your immune system recognizes the disease and blocks it from entering.

So since this is my first blog, I thought I should explain what this blog will be about. I'm working towards a degree in health science and while studying, I tend to come across some interesting and intriguing information and would love to pass it to everyone else. I'll post everything and anything that "meets the eye".

From general environmental politics, to religious health and diagnosis, until the investigation of underground diseases. These will be the issues that I shall be researching and sharing with you all.

Dug, Deep, Underground-Arachnoiditis

Many people don't know realize that there are so many diseases that we don't know about and have not found a cure for. One of these horrible sicknesses are called Arachnoiditis. This disease is buried so underground that doctors choose to avoid it, instead they would say its "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome".

What is this disease?

Arachnoiditis is caused by external substances entering and damaging the spinal canal. It beings with a massive inflammation at the nervous system roots and the "arachnoid". The arachnoid is one of the three membranes that surround the central nervous system. This inflammation is chronic and produces burning and pain in the spine. Once the inflammation begins, the tissues grow and pinch the roots, as if they are chocking them. It can then fill up the entire spinal canal and therefore if it continues to grow, any other organ may be affected. If the nerve roots are effected, then the organs cannot function properly.

Symptoms:

Fevers, nausea, vomiting and rashes. Often those who suffer from the disease feel as if their "joints" are being pulled apart, as well as the loss of ability to walk and use hands. Anyone with arachnoiditis will tell you, though, that the single most significant issue is pain—ongoing, neverending, unbearable pain.

Cause of the disease:

The cause of the disease can seem to be far fetched. There are three main ways that someone can become affected with the disease. One of them being epidural's. Many people tend to receive epidural's during pregnancy and other times but very rarely become infected with the disease. Although there is one epidural that was researched to cause this disease most which is called Depo-Medrol.

Other ways of infection are through spine surgeries and myelograms. Myelograms are dyes that are injected into the spine and are highly toxic. This was the most common form of being affected from Arachnoiditis.
So now the question is, what are the possibilities of being infected with the disease. The reason why this is a"dark secret" is because Arachnoiditis has no record of the number of people infected or cured. Usually when someone is diagnosed, doctors refuse to help them or treat them for another disease that might be highly irrelevant.

So here you have it, one disease that is slowly being unraveled and shown to the world. My purpose is to cause awareness. I shall post the references below if any of you guys would like to read up on this topic.

Reference:
1) Stevenson.H(2007). Arachnoiditis-The Deep Dark Secret of the Medical System. Retrieved on February 3, 2010.