Credit: iStock.com/parinyabinsuk
What is scarlet fever? Scarlet fever is a bacterial illness that causes the skin to break out in pink or red rashes, and usually causes a high fever and a sore throat.
It is very infectious through airborne bacteria and skin to skin contact, and while it mainly affects children, it can also affect adults. Sounds like it isn’t a lot of fun, doesn’t it? But how does one go about treating scarlet fever? Is there a way to treat scarlet fever naturally? Luckily, there are a number of scarlet fever treatment options available to you.
Scarlet Fever Treatment
Scarlet fever (also known as scarlatina) is a medical issue that can initially be very scary, especially if your child or grandchild is affected by it. Kids tend to easily catch contagious illnesses and then pass them on to their peers.
The first question is obviously, is scarlet fever contagious? Yes, scarlet fever is very contagious, and can be passed along via contact with infected skin as well as through airborne fluids of the nose and mouth (think sneezing and coughing). Luckily, scarlet fever will not leave any lasting effects as long as it is treated properly and relatively quickly.
To that end, the medical treatment of scarlet fever is relatively easy and painless. Doctors will normally prescribe an oral antibiotic. This course of treatment is usually 10 days in length, and as long as you don’t have an allergy, the antibiotic is more than likely going to be penicillin.
The infected person (this goes for scarlet fever in adults and in children) should stay away from others for at least 24 hours after the medical treatment has started and not until any fever present has disappeared. Aspirin or ibuprofen may also be recommended to help control and reduce the fever. In addition to the medical treatments, there are a few scarlet fever natural remedies that you may want to try to help control symptoms.
How to Treat Scarlet Fever Naturally
There are more than a few suggestions on how to treat scarlet fever, including natural ones. Please note: while mild scarlet fever can disappear on its own and with the help of scarlet fever home remedies, if the symptoms persist or worsen after a few days, it may be a good idea to go see a doctor for treatment.
Scarlet fever may not be your only issue, or it may be too far gone for natural treatments to take effect. As well, if you start experiencing an allergic reaction to any of these treatments, stop using the treatment. Each person is different, and what may work for some people, may not work for you or make matters worse. Keeping those things in mind, here are a few remedies and tips on how to treat scarlet fever.
1. Keep Hydrated
With the fever that scarlet fever carries and the complications that it may bring, like excessive sweating and lack of appetite, it is a very idea to drink plenty of fluids in order to keep the minerals in your body replenished and avoid any dehydration that may come of it.
2. Salt Water Rinse
Gargling with salt water could help reduce the pain of a sore throat caused by scarlet fever as it may reduce swelling and loosen up the muscles of the throat. It might also help flush out bacteria in the throat due to the salt’s natural antiseptic properties.
3. Honey
Honey could also help clear out the bacteria causing scarlet fever because of its natural antibiotic traits. With honey, you also have the added bonus of being able to take it in a few different ways. It can be as easy as taking one or two teaspoons of natural honey a day or mixing two or three teaspoons of honey and adding it to a glass of water (use either warm water or warm the water and then stir).
4. Garlic
Garlic also has natural antibiotic properties (from an agent it contains called allicin) that can help get rid of the bacteria causing scarlet fever. Try taking three or four cloves of garlic, chopping them up, and eating them on an empty stomach.
Now, this may not exactly appeal for first thing in the morning, but you can help sweeten the flavor as well as add some more antibiotic punch to it by mixing the garlic with one teaspoon of natural honey.
5. Ginger
Ginger has long been used as a natural health agent for stomach issues and fever in places beyond the West, and as it turns out, it may be able to help out with scarlet fever. Ginger has a number of antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties due to the shogaol, zingerone, and gingerols it contains. Similar to garlic, ginger can be taken for scarlet fever in relatively easy ways.
Boil one cup of water and add one teaspoon of grated ginger to it. Let the mixture steep for a few minutes and then strain the liquid and drink. If this flavor isn’t to your liking, you can add a teaspoon of natural honey to the mix. This mixture also has the added bonus of the honey and warm water soothing the throat.
6. Apple Cider Vinegar
A staple of home remedies, including scarlet fever, apple cider vinegar is used because of its anti-inflammatory abilities, and can be used both internally and externally. Internally, to help clean out the bacteria that causes scarlet fever, mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink twice a day.
Apple cider vinegar can also be used to soothe the rashes that are caused by scarlet fever. Take a cotton swab or a cotton ball and dip it into apple cider vinegar. Apply the vinegar to the rash three or four times a day to cool the rash and help heal it a little bit quicker.
7. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil may have antibacterial, antifungal, and even antiviral properties that could help you with a scarlet fever battle. Coconut oil is believed to contain monocaprin and monolaurin, which are known to help the body fight off bacteria and viruses.
Coconut oil also has the dual purpose of being able to soothe symptoms of scarlet fever. Take one tablespoon of coconut oil, two times a day. For the rashes, just rub coconut oil into them three to four times a day for relief and to help quicken the rate of healing.
8. Turmeric
Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which not only gives turmeric its yellow color but also gives turmeric antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that might help with the symptoms of scarlet fever. And hopefully help you get rid of it, too.
Add one teaspoon to a glass of warm milk (the taste might be unpleasant at first, so feel free to add a little bit of a natural sweetener to the mix) and mix. Drink this concoction twice a day to help get rid of the illness.
9. Mint Tea
Mint tea has long been used against scarlet fever as the rosmarinic acids it contains can help treat the rashes and sore throat that come with the fever. Take a few fresh mint leaves and drop them into a bowl of boiling water. Allow the leaves to sit and steep into the water for around 10 minutes. After the steeping is done, strain the leaves out of the mixture and drink.
10. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is great for soothing skin issues of all sorts due to two amino acids it contains, phenylalanine and tryptophane, as well as a good dose of vitamin C. These amino acids and vitamins can help soothe the skin and also encourage the skin to heal itself from the damage that the rashes have caused. Take a fresh aloe vera leaf or two and place them in the fridge.
Let them cool for a few hours (overnight, if possible) and then take them out. Cut the tips of the leaves off and squeeze the gel onto the rash and rub it in. Let the gel sit for 20 to 30 minutes and then rinse off the gel with cold water. Doing this a couple times a day should help clear up the rash and stop the itching.
11. Oatmeal Bath
While this won’t get rid of scarlet fever, an oatmeal bath will help ease any itch or pain that may result from scarlet fever rashes. Add two cups of colloidal oatmeal to a bucket of water along with a half teaspoon of baking soda. Use a cloth or sponge to wash the rash areas with the mixture.
The vitamin E, phenols, and avenacins found within the oatmeal should snuff out the itch and burn of the rashes. Additionally, you can increase the formula in proportions for a full-sized bath if needed.
In addition to these great remedies, keep in mind other methods you would normally use to treat a sore throat or cold. Teas beyond the ginger mix we’ve introduced here can help with a sore throat. Plenty of rest is always recommended in this type of situation, as it will allow your body to use its energy to heal rather than for running around.
A good day or two on the couch or in bed with a good book or binge watching a favorite TV show along with one or two of the home remedies above might be just what you need to pin scarlet fever into submission.
Scarlet Fever Doesn’t Have to Be Scary
Scarlet fever sounds like an illness from Old West. Like the type of thing that would befall the poor townsfolk of Rock Ridge before Sheriff Bart made it back with an antidote. The truth of the matter is that scarlet fever is very much a traditional contagious illness.
The good news is that it may be easily treated with home remedies, and if it becomes stubborn, there is also medical assistance to be found. But that doesn’t mean you should just let it go. Once you or your child has been diagnosed with scarlet fever, start treating it immediately. The sooner you get the appropriate scarlet fever treatment, the sooner it will be cleared up.
Related Articles:
Is Scarlet Fever Contagious? Causes, Symptoms, Prevention Tips
Sources:
“Top 5 natural Cures for Scarlet Fever,” Find Home Remedies; http://www.findhomeremedy.com/top-5-natural-cures-for-scarlet-fever/,last accessed July 17, 2017.
“5 Effective Home Remedies for Scarlet Fever,” Search Home Remedy; http://www.searchhomeremedy.com/effective-home-remedies-for-scarlet-fever/, last accessed July 17, 2017.
“10 Best Home Remedies For Scarlet Fever,” Live a Little Longer, April 17, 2017; https://www.livealittlelonger.com/facts-about-depression/, last accessed July 17, 2017.
“7 Remedies For Scarlet Fever,” Search Herbal Remedy; http://www.searchherbalremedy.com/effective-home-remedies-for-scarlet-fever/, last accessed July 17, 2017.
Collins, S., “Useful Remedies for Scarlet Fever,” 1800 Remedies, June 25, 2015; http://www.1800remedies.com/remedies-for-scarlet-fever/, last accessed July 17, 2017.
Nordqvist, C., “Scarlet fever: Causes, symptoms, and treatments,” Medical New Today, June 26, 2017; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/176242.php, last accessed July 17, 2017.
Johnson, S., “Scarlet Fever,” Healthline, August 7, 2012; http://www.healthline.com/health/scarlet-fever#overview1, last accessed July 17, 2017.
Stevenson, H., “Ginger’s Many Evidence-Based Health Benefits Revealed,” Green Med Info, October 25, 2012; http://www.greenmedinfo.com/node/83545, last accessed July 17, 2017.
Elmore, L., et al., “Treatment of Dermal Infections With Topical Coconut Oil,” Natural Medicine Journal, May 2014; http://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2014-05/treatment-dermal-infections-topical-coconut-oil, last accessed July 17, 2017.
“Curcumin,” Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curcumin, last accessed July 17, 2017.
“Is Aloe Vera Gel Effective for Removing Skin Rashes?” Skin Care Guide; http://www.skincareguide.com/article/skin-conditions/skin-rashes-infections/is-aloe-vera-gel-effective-for-removing-skin-rashes, last accessed July 17, 2017.