5 Special Home Remedies for Whitlow Treatment and How to Prevent it from Recurring

Whitlow is an infection caused by herpes that develops around the finger. whitlow is inexpensive to treat and takes up two or three weeks to heal. either you’ve had whitlow before , never had it before or you know someone who had it, this post is for you.  the home remedies provided on this page will serve as a pain reliever and also speed up the recovery process. The tips for prevention will also help you.  let’s read on 

What is whitlow

whitlow is also known as herpetic whitlow, it is a highly contagious and painful infection on the finger that causes discomfort. this infection is caused by the herpes simplex virus which occurs when the broken skin of your finger comes in contact with the body fluid of a person (yourself or someone else) who is infected with herpes.
There are two types of herpes simplex virus, Type 1 and Type 2, both of which cause herpetic whitlow.

What Causes Whitlow

The main cause of whitlow is herpes. now, when you have broken skin around your finger and it comes in direct contact with the virus or body fluid of an infected person.   The virus can be on your genital, face, or hand or on someone else own.

What are the risk factors for whitlow?

A number of factors make you more likely to developing whitlow. they are:

• Herpes simplex virus 1 or 2 infection
• HIV infection
• Broken skin on the finger
• Habitual biting of the nails
• Auto-inoculation with unwashed fingers 

What are the symptoms of  Whitlow

The signs you will notice includes:

• painful swell underneath the fingernails
• A couple of blisters filled with fluid are painful
• Redness around the finger(it can be quite severe in some cases)
• Burning sensation on fingers
• Itchy and tingling feeling
• Swollen and unusual sensation in the hand

Home remedies for whitlow

you can use any of the following to ease the pain and discomfort caused by whitlow as well as hastening the recovering process.

Ice Packs

Once you start noticing swell around your finger, the first thing you want to do is dab the area with an ice pack. it will help alleviate the symptoms and provide quick relief.

How to use

• Wrap ice cubes very well in a clean cloth.
• Use the pack to smother over the swelling and let the ice reduce the intensity of the pain.
• You may also add few ice cubes into a bowl of water and dip the infected finger into it
• Repeat this process until you notice an improvement on the finger affected
• do not use the ice directly on whitlow or your skin. it damages the upper layer of the skin.

Fresh Garlic Cloves

Garlic is known to have a very high amount of allicin and its oil contains ajoene both of which have an antiviral effect against the herpes virus. the antimicrobial properties make it an effective treatment for whitlow.

How to use

• Peel and pound garlic cloves into a paste that will be easy to apply. this is when the allicin becomes active.
• Carefully apply the paste over the finger using cotton wool to avoid cross-contamination to other parts of the body.
• Allow the garlic paste to dry on the skin for 20 minutes.
• Rinse the paste using warm water and repeat this process twice daily until it’s completely healed.

You may also drop garlic oil on the affected finger with sterile cotton wool and use the same wool to dab the area too.

Read Also: Uses of Garlic:  9 Uncommon uses for Garlic 

How to make your own garlic oil

• peel and chop a few cloves of garlic.
• pour olive oil in a pan and add chopped garlic
• fry the garlic until it becomes brown but not burned.
• Drain the oil off and apply it to the finger. you may also add garlic to your daily diet to prevent it from recurring.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a natural remedy for the treatment of countless skin conditions and whitlow is not an exception. it serves as a pain reliever and also eases discomfort.

How to use

• Cut a fresh aloe Vera leaf and scoop out gel enough for topical application on the affected area.
• Apply the gel on the finger with a sterile cotton wool
• Allow it to dry and wait for 20 minutes before rinsing it off.
• repeat the process daily until symptoms subside.

Also Read

: Aloe Vera; Top Health Benefit and Uses in Nigeria 

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent disinfectant that can help counter the effects of the herpes virus and speeds up the recovery process. remember not to use more than 3% of hydrogen to avoid skin irritation

How to use

• Soak cotton wool in 3% Hydrogen peroxide solution and squeeze the excess solution.
• Dab the wet cotton wool on the affected skin and gently rub it in. it may cause some slight irritation, but if the irritation is sustained, discontinue the use of the remedy immediately.
• Leave the remedy on for a few minutes and then rinse off using warm water.
• Repeat the process every few days to speed up recovery

How to use Lemon

• Make a hole in a lemon
• Then insert the affected finger into this hole for about 10 minutes
• Do this twice daily for quick healing

Tips to prevent and manage whitlow

• Avoid sharing personal items to prevent infections from persons with the virus.
• Do not chew or suck the fingers, it weakens the nail structure and makes it easy for viruses to enter.
• Broken skin increases the chances of herpes infection as such, Cut and trim your nails carefully.
• Always wash your hand and avoid wearing contact lenses until whitlow is gone. This is to prevent the spread of the infection to the eyes.
• Do not puncture or drain the fluid from the swelling because this is may worsen the condition or cause the herpes virus to spread to other parts of the body.
• Lastly, Use a light dressing to cover the infected finger only take it off when you need to apply the remedy.

Conclusion

The remedies listed above is will actually help you to gain full recovery. however, if the pain becomes extremely unbearable or multiple fingers are affected you may seek medical attention.

Recommended Reading

• Health Benefits of Garlic: What It Does to Your Body
• Why You Should Add Garlic to Your Diet

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