Chickenpox is an infection caused by a varicella-zoster virus that is highly contagious. Most cases are in children below the age of 15. It spreads very easily from one person to another. The typical symptom of chicken pox is an itchy, uncomfortable rash. In adults the virus can become active again and lead to shingles.
Chickenpox is an infection by a varicella-zoster virus that commonly affects children and is highly contagious. In fact, the condition is so common in childhood that most of adult persons are immune to it because they have had it before. With some children there are only some spots but with others it can be possible to see their entire body covered with spots. The common areas affected include the legs and arms, especially beneath the arms, the belly and chest, scalp and ears, and the face. Children catch usually chickenpox in winter and spring, between March and May.
The highly contagious disease occurs primarily in children and can be seen as a skin rash over the entire body, with small, reddish, and itchy blisters. The risk of infection starts 1 to 2 days in advance to the appearance of blisters until the decrease of crusted wounds (usually 5 to 6 days after the rash has started). After the illness has run its course, the virus continues to reside within the body (inside certain nerve cells) and can become activated again later in life or in individuals with compromised immune systems. This infection is called shingles or herpes zoster and appears as a localized, very painful skin rash. The disease is contagious in people who have not yet had the varicella virus. In older people, pain may continue for several weeks or even months after the rash has disappeared. The disease usually runs its course without complications or consequences. Patients with pre-existing conditions such as neurodermatitis or weak immune systems may have a worse experience. Newborn babies are also greatly at risk of an infection. Chickenpox is considered a moderate disease when it occurs in children, but the affected skin areas can be extremely itchy and the child can have multiple symptoms ranging from fever, to feeling irritable even to feeling miserable.
Chickenpox doesn't have a particular treatment however medication can improve the symptoms. Mostly what happens is that the affected children's blisters start to crust up and then fall off by themselves within a timeframe of up to two weeks. A kid who has the disease should be kept away from public places so that the risk is reduced of infecting other persons who may not have had it. It’s also recommended that contact with pregnant women should be avoided, as an infection early on in the pregnancy or towards the birth can put the baby into serious health risks. Normally the treatment for chickenpox consists of medicine which reduces the urge to itch. Salves can also be used to dry out the blisters. With herpes zoster, anti-viral medication can be used to shorten the duration and intensity of the disease. A vaccine exists for children and youth against varicella and there is also a zoster vaccination for seniors over 60.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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