15 Effective Home Remedies For Measles

In a perfect world, measles would be a thing of the past. Extinct, thanks to universal vaccination. But this is real world and measles is still alive and kicking.

Measles, like many other diseases of children, is caused by a virus. It is amongst one of the most dangerous diseases that can infect a child. So, all children are expected to be vaccinated against it by the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps and Rubella). Measles is typically a combination of the infection of the respiratory system, skin and immune system. Parents are always advised to get their children vaccinated in time against the disease.

Top 15 Home Remedies To Treat Measles:

While most of us go on medication to treat measles, there are also a few home remedies that one can try and undertake to ensure good health and speedy recovery. Visit your doctor regularly for check up and monitor your recovery. It is always advisable to monitor one’s health, condition of the body vitals and body response towards recovery measures.

Try these home remedies at home to treat measles or to offer relief from the outbreak.

1. Sip Those Juices:

We are always told to have fresh fruit juices and fruits as fruits are loaded with anti-oxidants. They add taste to the mouth. Juice supplements the body with vital minerals, vitamins, nutrients and roughage. At the same time, fruit juice also hydrate the body from within. Have pineapple, orange, tangerine and lemon juice as much as you can. Stay in an airy and ventilated room to avoid any kind of itching.

2. Protect Those Eyes:

Eyes are highly sensitive and measles tend to affect them as well. Due to increased sensitivity during measles one might feel that the bright light hurts the eye. It is, therefore, advisable to stay in low light or keep the person suffering from measles, in a dim lit room to avoiding straining the weakened eye muscles and tissues.

3. Have Tangerine And Lemon Water:

The good old mother’s summer drink helps restore the balance of the electrolytes in the body and at the same time ensures that the vitals are not plummeting. Apart from that the two also take care of stomach trouble or digestion problems.

4. Turmeric:

The good old Indian herb that has been a part of cooking culture is not merely a coloring agent. It also comes loaded with many benefits for the health. Turmeric or haldi as we commonly refer to it as can also be used to treat measles. To turmeric powder, add a little honey and add a little bit of bitter gourd juice. Mix the 3 well and give it to the patient. Though the taste might be a little off beat and bitter, but it is one of the best home remedies for measles. While turmeric has healing powers due to its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, honey is a antioxidant and bitter gourd is a blood purifier. These 3 can help restore good health and build a stronger immune system in the body to fight the outbreak of measles.

5. Liquorice:

The root of liquorice is also another home remedy for measles, which is primarily used to cure cough that happens as a result of contracting measles. One can procure the powder of liquorice root from the market and mix it with honey and take it regularly to cure cold and cough, which are caused as a result of measles.

6. Almonds:

Soak a few almonds overnight and peel them in the morning. Extract the juice of few almonds and mix it with barley water. This will help cure the cough and at the same time almonds will help keep the eyesight strong. It is advisable to have almonds, soaked overnight for keeping the eyesight healthy as the enzymes are all fully activated once they have been soaked.

7. Fights Fever:

As measles is generally accompanied by fever and it is important to tackle the increasing body temperature as well. One can use external applications to bring the fever down. One of the few remedies is to hold in place a cut onion, crushed garlic or olive oil to the sole of the foot with the help of medical tape.

8. Consume Fish:

Fish is a rich source of protein and fish oil is known to work wonders for the skin. Given the effect of measles on the skin, having fish is going to help soothe and take care of the skin. Try shellfish and halibut or any other fish known for its oily nature.

9. Have Milk And Dairy Products:

Include more yogurt in your diet to infuse your body with more and more good and helpful bacteria. As a result it will improve your internal healing and aid in better digestion and improve appetite. At the same time, have eggs for a good protein intake and have goat or cow milk as these are easier to digest and nutritious as compared to buffalo’s milk.

10. Vegetables And Fruits:

Cook the vegetables and fruits as little as you can. Having the vegetables and fruits in their raw or boiled form will help the person recover faster by providing all kinds of vital nutrition to the body. At the same time it will also provide much needed dietary fibre. Cooking can sometimes kill the good nutrients and alter the nature of helpful chemicals in fruits and vegetables. Sticking to natural form will help make faster and smoother recovery. Also, these will be easy to digest and not put any additional burden on the body’s digestive system and metabolic activities.

11. Coconuts:

Coconut is known to be one of the best fruits as all the parts of the fruit can be used for different purposes and applications. While coconut juice makes you feel better inside and provide vital nutrients, application of coconut oil helps decrease the itching sensation that might be due to the skin problem caused by measles.

12. Neem Leaves:

Some of the best things nature has blessed the humans with are rather bitter to their taste. One such blessing is the neem tree. Our ancestors swore by the healing powers of the tree. They used it for all kinds of applications, right from using it as a datun to using it to keep winter and summer clothes free of moths and insects. Neem provides an effective treatment for measles. Applying a pack of fresh neem leaves on the body provides relief from the measles pimples and outbreak on the skin. At the same time, it also helps reduce the spread and kills all kinds of bacteria, virus and fungi that might be trying to grow. Neem also reduces itching and rashes. Alternately, one can add them to water when you heat it or boil it for a bath.

13. Indian Gooseberry:

The good old Indian gooseberry takes care of the skin and fever in a measles outbreak. One can have Amla in its raw form by grating it and adding little rock salt to it to mellow down the tanginess. Alternately, one can eat preserved form of the Indian gooseberry, known as murabba in Indian households. Murabba provides the right amount of sugar along with the goodness of amla. One can mix a little quantity of amla powder in the daily bathing water to get relief from itching.

14. Eggplant:

Eggplant or Baigan is not a favorite of many, but it is one of the most effective home remedies against measles. The seeds of the eggplant help build and develop immunity against measles. You can consume or give your loved one 1 gram of eggplant seeds regularly to fight measles and help cure it.

15. Calendula Flower Powder:

One can easily find calendula flower powder in the market at any herbal store. This flower is a magical flower for its ability to help speed up the healing process of a person suffering from measles. One needs to boil 3 cups of water and let them become lukewarm. To this boiled water, add a tablespoon of the calendula flower powder and drink it. Drink this concoction twice a day until one is fully recovered and carry it on even after post recovery for a few days for a healthier you.

Symptoms Of Measles:

Measles virus has an incubation period of 7-10 days after initial exposure and can take that time to infect the body from within. As the virus spreads through air, it makes it highly contagious and 90% people are likely to get infected and develop symptoms once they come in contact with someone who has measles. Some of the symptoms of measles are:

• Conjunctivitis or redness of the eyes along with watery feeling and irritation.
• Severe cough.
• Coryza or head cold as it is commonly known.
• High fever.
• Development of body rashes and spots with rash like marks.
• Koplik’s marks that develop and sprout in the mouth.

These are the characteristic for measles and sure shot sign that the viral infection is taking over.

Other Ways The Body Can Respond To Measles:

Trouble often accompanies measles since it can lead to a host of other problems. Measles can turn to be a deadly disease. It can also cause blindness sometimes, if not death. It can also cause pneumonia and ear abscess along with bronchitis. Sometimes the occurrence of measles can also affect the brain and leads to inflammation, which can cause death as well. It is therefore important to ensure one is vaccinated against the gruesome disease and always stays healthy.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure:

The only way to prevent this deadly disease is to have medicines and get vaccinated at the right time. Also, as it spreads through the air, it is important to avoid contact with an infected person. While a doctor might give the infected person a medical treatment, the home remedies help the person recover sooner.

Be Careful And Pay Attention:

As measles grow and flare up, one might feel reduced appetite. So, it is important to increase liquid intake and ensure that the fluids you drink are full of nutrition.

Also, it is important to understand that the person suffering from measles should be kept in isolation to avoid the spread of the disease. Also, if light seems to be irritating the eyes, visit the doctor at the earliest to avoid any kind of complication that could lead to loss of eyesight or complete vision.

Above all, remember that if you have an episode of measles in adulthood, you need to visit your doctor. It is common in children to develop a light case of measles sometimes after post vaccination. Doctors will be able to help you guide in a more professional and focused manner to speed up recovery and ensure no other health impact happens.

All the above home remedies are a simple and sure shot way to avoid any kind weaknesses, help speed up the healing process and ensure faster recovery along with a stronger immune system.

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