Hand Foot & Mouth Disease
“Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common viral illness that usually affects infants and children younger than 5 years old. However, it can sometimes occur in adults. Symptoms of hand, foot, and mouth disease include fever, mouth sores, and a skin rash.” -CDC
What Are The Symptoms of Hand Foot and Mouth?
Caused by viruses that belong to the Enterovirus genus, hand foot and mouth disease usually begins with a fever, reduced appetite, sore throat, headache, and a general unwell feeling. A day or two day later, painful sores appear. These usually appear in the back of the mouth as small red spots that blister and can become ulcerated. A skin rash with red spots, and sometimes with blisters, may also develop over one or two days on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet; it may also appear on the knees, elbows, buttocks or genital area.
Some people, especially young children, may get dehydrated if they are not able to swallow enough liquids because of painful mouth sores. Adults may show no symptoms at all, but they can still pass the virus to others through close personal contact with an infected individual or, less often, through the air by touching shared objects, such as a doorknob.
What is The Incubation Period of Hand Foot and Mouth?
The incubation period for hand, foot, and mouth disease is 3 to 7 days. The illness typically lasts from 6 to 10 days, and can be contagious for 2 to 3 weeks.
How Do You Get Hand Foot and Mouth?
People are the most contagious during the first week of the illness, but remain contagious after symptoms resolve, particularly through fecal exposures. This makes young children most likely to spread the disease.
How Do I Prevent Hand Foot and Mouth?
Practicing good hygiene is useful for avoiding HFM, particularly during the warmer
months of the year. When known exposures occur, immune supportive herbs and oils are useful for both primary and secondary prevention. Elderberry, astragalus, and garlic are good dietary supplements for this purpose.
How Should I Treat Hand Foot and Mouth?
FLUIDS & PAIN RELIEF
Hand, foot, and mouth disease will run its course regardless of treatment. Remedies aimed at relief from the symptoms and prevention of any unpleasant outcomes, such as dehydration or lack of appetite are helpful. Herbal popsicles made with chamomile, elder flowers, or ginger are all beneficial at increasing hydration while soothing the painful sores around the mouth. Popsicles can be consumed as often as needed to relieve symptoms.
SOOTHING SOAKS
Hand or foot baths made from herbal infusions can also speed healing from the blisters. Raspberry leaf, blackberry leaf, chamomile, or calendula are all useful for this purpose. These herbs include astringent and anti-inflammatory actions. They can also be made into a soothing balm to be applied topically. For relief of the unpleasant symptoms, soaks and topical ointments can be used as needed.
IMMUNE SUPPORT
Antiviral and immune supporting herbs are useful at speeding recovery. Astragalus and elderberry are used for viral infections with astragalus being supported by the literature specifically for the most common causes of HFM. To support the body as it fights HFM, immune supporting syrups can be taken from exposure to recovery, 3 to 5 times a day.
REFERENCES
Bendig, J. W., & Fleming, D. M. (1996). Epidemiological, virological, and clinical features of an epidemic of hand, foot, and mouth disease in England and Wales. Communicable disease report. CDR review, 6(6), R81-6
Clercq, E. D. (2013). Highlights in antiviral drug research: antivirals at the horizon. Medicinal research reviews, 33(6), 1215-1248.
Wang, M., Tao, L., & Xu, H. (2016). Chinese herbal medicines as a source of molecules with anti-enterovirus 71 activity. Chinese medicine, 11(1), 1.
Yarnell, E. Herbs for Emerging Viral Infectious Diseases. Alternative and Complementary Therapies.