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Health Shingles
What are shingles?
Shingles are a rash caused by the herpes zoster virus, or varicella-zoster, which is the virus that causes chickenpox. After the initial outbreak of chickenpox, the virus remains in nerve cells of the body, and can reappear years later as shingles. It can also appear in anyone who was vaccinated for chickenpox, but never contracted it.The first sign is normally a burning or tingling pain just under the skin and/or extreme sensitivity in the affected area. A rash of small blisters usually appears several days later, and lasts for about a week before scabbing over and beginning to heal. The word shingles” is derived from the Latin word for girdle, since the rash that appears often forms a band around the torso or waist.
What can cause shingles?
It is difficult to pinpoint what causes shingles, but there are several factors that appear to contribute to the likelihood of shingles appearing. People over the age of 50 and those who are in poor health are most likely to have an outbreak of shingles. Anyone with an immunodeficiency disease such as cancer or HIV has a higher risk for contracting shingles, as well as anyone who has a weak immune system due to illness, prolonged use of prescription medications, or old age. Severe stress and fatigue can also sometimes trigger an outbreak of shingles.Treatment:
If you suspect that you have shingles, it’s important to visit your health care provider quickly in order to ensure that there are no complications. If there are blisters near the nose and eyes, the virus could spread to the eyes and cause damage or visual loss. Your health care provider will most likely prescribe an antiviral medication that is only effective if administered at the onset of shingles.Your doctor will most likely be able to diagnose shingles without any tests, but may do a biopsy of the infected skin in order to rule out other causes for the symptoms.
Medications that may be prescribed might include antiviral drugs to decrease pain and limit the duration of the rash, and topical ointments to prevent an infection.
These treatments are not always effective, however, as each person reacts differently to them. Alternative treatments such as Shingles No More might be able to provide relief from some or all of the symptoms associated with shingles.
Self-Treatment:
While there is no way to prevent shingles, there are several things you can do to help ease the discomfort that accompanies this disease:- Try not to scratch. --- This is always easier said than done, but it’s an important rule to follow in order to reduce the risk of infection and possible scarring. Try using soothing ointments such as calamine lotion to relieve itching.
- If the pain is severe, take over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil.
- A cool compress with tap-water can help the blisters heal and decreases risk of infection. Apply them several times a day for about 20 minutes at a time. When the blisters dry up, it’s a good idea to stop using the compresses so that the skin surrounding them doesn’t dry out and itch worse.
- Be sure to keep the rash area clean.
- Petroleum jelly can help soothe the affected area, and will also help speed up healing.
- If your skin is sensitive, be sure to wear very loose clothing and avoid anything that might chafe uncomfortably against the affected area.
- Don’t forget to avoid close contact with anyone who has never had chickenpox or anyone with a weak immune system and/or chronic health condition.
Are Shingles Contagious?
Shingles are not contagious to anyone who has had chickenpox. For those who have never had chickenpox, it is possible to contract the chickenpox virus if exposed to open shingles blisters. It is important for those with shingles to keep their rash covered, though, in order to keep from spreading the virus, especially to those with preexisting health problems.Aftereffects:
Shingles generally disappear on their own, regardless of whether or not they are treated, and both the pain and the rash are usually gone in three or four weeks. However, the effects of shingles may last for a long time afterward, especially in older patients or those who have serious medical conditions. When the pain persists after the rash has disappeared, it is known as a condition called PHN, or postherpetic neuralgia. This condition is most common in older patients, and the pain can be quite severe. There is little that can be done to remedy this pain other than to take pain killers and continue use salves and lotions to soothe the affected skin and sensitive nerves located there.Some other complications include eye damage and bacterial skin infection, which could spread to other parts of the body. Scarring is also a possibility.
The chickenpox vaccine, also known as the VZV vaccine, may help to reduce the likelihood and/or severity of shingles symptoms by helping the immune system fight off the varicella zoster virus. Booster shots of the vaccine are being considered for future implementation to aid the prevention and treatment of shingles.
