What is Viral Rash?
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Viral rashes incorporate red bumps that are itchy and occur on the skin.
Who get affected by Viral rashes?
One thing that you would need to note is that viral infections can affect people in any age group including children.
Picture 1 – Viral rash
Source – goodtoknow
Some viral skin infections can also appear in any part of the body while others will in only one part. In addition, the patients who have viral infection rash problems may also exhibit others like coughing, sneezing, wheezing, vomiting, nausea, etc. However, the main problem associated with the viral skin rashes is itching as one would be very uncomfortable. Viral infection can also cause pain in the infected area as well as increase the sensitivity of the nerves.
Viral Rashes Types
There are various types of viral rashes which are dependent on the parts of the body that are affected as well as the ages of people that are most likely to contract the infections. However is that they have similarity in the qualities for example, flaking, itching, blistering as well as redness. However, there are certain differences in them especially as pertaining their being contagious or not.
The various types of skin rashes include the following.
Measles– This is one of the causes for viral rashes in kids. In its initial stages, the patient will have a fever. The cheeks will also exhibit red rash whose color changes to brown as the infection spreads to other parts of the body like the torso and the neck. The symptoms of measles would actually start to appear within eleven days after you have become infected. You would acknowledge that the disease is at the epitome of its infectious nature once the initial symptoms appear as well as prior to the development of the rash.
Chicken pox– This infection results in a viral skin rash in children that is very itchy on the legs, torso arms. Viral rash in face is common in chicken pox. One thing that you need to note about this infection is that its blisters are filled with fluid and are highly infectious.
Shingles- This is also very similar to chicken pox. However, its viral rashes are localized in the abdomen and the torso while their blisters incorporate more elongation.
Fifth disease– At the initial stages, the patient with the viral infections would have sore throat as well as red eyes. In the advanced stages however, the patient would be having rash that is bright red in color covering their faces, legs, torso as well as arms.
Herpes– This viral rash in adult is known to be highly contagious and mainly affects the area around the genitals. The area would produce red blisters that are filled with fluid. The unique thing about this infection is that it is mainly transmitted through sexual intercourse.
As you would acknowledge the diagnosis of the viral rash would not be very complex. In any case the red rashes will be distinctive enough such that that they can be differentiated from other kinds of rashes. However, it would be important that you determine the individual infection based on the time taken for it to show as well as the features of the blisters, bumps or the rash. Many are the times when you actually would not need to have a clinical diagnosis. Nevertheless, there are times when you may not tell the difference between them and insect bites and other types of infections like scabies. Looking into the individual symptoms would therefore be imperative to ensure that the appropriate diagnosis is done. This therefore necessitates visiting a medical practitioner to allow for tests and proper diagnosis.
In diagnosis of the viral rash, it becomes imperative that the key feature that is most frequent is identified. In addition, other features of the viral rash are identified including color, density, consistency, size, shape, tenderness as well as temperature.
Another important feature taken into consideration during diagnosis is the distribution. There is always some element of inaccuracy to be taken into consideration in the diagnosis due to other predisposing factors like skin disorders.
As much as there are symptoms that will be distinctive to a particular type of viral infection, you would acknowledge that there are others which crosscut between all of them. These however change with the time and age of the viral rash infection.
In most cases, the patients will exhibit signs of fever; generally feeling tired and even has a sore throat. Mostly, this will be followed closely by the manifestation of classic, very itchy rash. In some cases like chicken pox, the viral rash will start at the torso and the head before spreading to the other areas like the legs and the arms. The time taken by this rash ranges between seven and ten days.
These viral rashes will begin as red areas with the center having minute superficial blisters. As time goes by, the blisters will rupture with the lesion forming a hard layer that falls off with time.
Nasal congestion is also a common symptom for the various types of viral infections as well as coughing, wheezing, sneezing and even feelings of nausea and vomiting. In most cases the patient will also have decreased appetite as well as activity levels.
Treatment for Viral Rashes
The specific treatment will definitely be tagging onto the particular type of viral rash infection. There are however several treatment measures that can be taken for any type of viral rash. One thing that you would need to note however that is the treatment will also be dependent on the virus’ cause. In addition, other factors like the age of the patient, health status, their immune system as well as how severe the virus may be taken into consideration when determining the right treatment of the viral rash. One thing that you would need to note however is that most of the viral rashes will just disappear with time. Many are the times when doctors will not give antibiotics as a prescription since they mostly make the immune system weaker. However, it is important that you allow for proper diagnosis of the particular infection in order to have the right remedy. The following are the treatments for the particular types of viral rashes.
Chicken pox
You would note that the virus in the children is contagious and can be spread through the secretions from the nasal and the oral areas. It would be important that the movement of the child be inhibited in order to prevent the spread of the viral rashes to other children.
You would need to note that there is actually no cure, in the sense of the word, for chicken pox. Once the infection has begun, you would have no option but to let it run the full course. A medical practitioner would however be in a position to give prescriptions in order to bring down the itchy feeling thus enhancing the comfort of the child. However, there are vaccines that are given to the children at different ages in order to prevent the occurrence of the infection. These are given when the child is aged between 12 and 15 months. The child would also receive another dose when aged 4 to 6 years. It is however advisable that you do not give the child aspirin as it would bring other deadly complications.
Measles
Like chickenpox, there is absolutely no cure for this type of viral rash. It is unfortunate however, that children will appear ill and miserable. Nevertheless, the child would still get better especially having in mind that the disease does not have lasting effects. There are however vaccines that are very effective in preventing the viral rash. Ensure that the children are vaccinated in time.
Fifth disease
As much as there is absolutely no cure for this infection, you need to acknowledge that the health of the child will play a very vital role in preventing the occurrence of the disease. This disease can is actually a serious problem when it occurs to children with impaired immune system through HIV, Leukemia and sickle cell anemia. Ensure the children receive the appropriate vaccines in time.
There are several complications that will occur with the various types of viral rashes. These complications will also vary in commonness. Common complications for the viral rashes include vomiting, diarrhea and voice box inflammation as well as eye infection. Earaches and febrile convulsions may also occur.
Complications that are less common include liver infections, squint, brain inflammation, pneumonia and even meningitis. In addition, the airways may become infected a condition known as croup, as well as bronchitis.
Other complications that are rare include problems in the nervous system and the heart grave and disorders of the eyes. The brain may also develop serious complications known as SSPE especially in case of measles viral rash infection occurrence for several years.
Viral Rash Pictures
Check out some of the pictures of viral rash to know more about the condition and it’s types.
Picture 2 – Viral Rash Image (Chicken Pox)
Source – infobarrel
Picture 3 – Viral Rash (Measles)
Source – topuspost
Reference:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/rashes.html
http://ebooks.cambridge.org/chapter.jsf?bid=CBO9780511575778&cid=CBO9780511575778A053
