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Preventing shingles
There are, an estimated one million Americans afflicted with shingles Herpes Zoster each year. It is a painful viral infection, which lingers in your system after you have chickenpox. Shingles can develop at any time in your life. One out of every Ten of those having had chickenpox will have shingles. This virus stays inactive or dormant in the root cells of the body. Shingles usually rears it’s ugly head around the age of sixty, after the age of 80 you have a 50% chance of being infected with shingles.
Seniors can help themselves in preventing shingles by eating healthy meals, getting the right amount of rest, and exercise. Most people infected with shingles find themselves with severe pain and some permanent nerve damage for the rest of their lives. Make an appointment with a medical practitioner at the first sign of singles and you are less likely to have permanent nerve damage.
When the virus awakens within your system it will cause shingles. Shingles virus causes a blistering rash; that will in turn cause excruciating pain. The rash can affect any part of the body including head and limbs. It may appear as a band around one side of the chest or abdomen, or down one leg, or arm. The rash may appear on your head, when it reaches your forehead or upper cheek there is the danger of the infection reaching your eyes.
Shingles sometime affects the eyes due to the fact that your eyes are connected to nerves that may be infected. When the infection reaches the eyes it can cause blindness. At the first sign of a rash on your face, or nose call the medical practitioner; they will know at once if you have shingles and the best way of preventing shingles from spreading.
Shingles can also cause ear damage or inflammation of the brain, and partial facial paralysis. Shingles usually attack one side of the body; there will be numbness, and burning sensation to that area, and a crawling feeling under the skin that is “nerve racking.”
The blisters usually burst and will crust over within a week’s time. When this takes place the virus is very contagious. One way of preventing shingles is to distance yourself from those that are infected with the shingles virus. Coming in contact with the infectious fluid some will be infected with shingles, if they were infected with chickenpox earlier in life.
Some will be infected with chickenpox if they have never had them before. The infection will last from a couple of weeks to a month. There is no cure for shingles. The best way of preventing shingles is to stay out of harms way.
There are several things that can cause shingles if there is a decrease in your natural resistance. The decrease may come by way of infections, stress, not getting enough rest, and not eating healthy balanced meals. It is far to easy to grab a pop tart, go through a drive up on your way to work and for lunch; oh yes don’t forget the pizza for dinner. Does this sound all too familiar? Remember you are the only one that can work on preventing shingles in your life.
Those at higher risk are people on steroids, chemotherapy for cancer or those with transplants or with aids. If you have a high risk loved one, or friend make sure they are made aware of your infectious virus. In doing this one small courtesy you may be saving their lives, by preventing shingles.
In March 1995, a new vaccine for chickenpox was developed. This vaccine is given to preschoolers today. When adults get chickenpox, they run very high fevers, and can suffer brain damage. The Food and Drug Administration; highly recommend that anyone over the age of thirteen who does not know if they have had chickenpox or not should have a simple blood test that will determine the answer for them. This is a great step in preventing Chickenpox. The chickenpox virus in children last about one week and is usually mild. The FDA strongly recommends that children receive the vaccine, along with standard measles, mumps, and German measles, vaccines.
Some doctors feel that there is promise in the vaccine, for those who had chickenpox, at one point in their lives. The vaccine could be the answer to preventing shingles in the million people that are infected every year. Studies in this area of the virus are now in progress.
The first and most important thing for you to do is call the medical practitioner within two to three days; if you even suspect you have shingles. They will recommend a proper treatment for preventing shingles from spreading. There are anti-viral medications that will speed your recovery. It is very important that the doctor know if you have reactions to any medications, as this might cause more complications.
Shingles can be driven inward causing more complications that may last a lifetime. The doctor may recommend an antidepressant, and topical creams for numbing the rash, as well as creams containing capsaicin; this is an irritant to some peoples skin. There are a number of herbs that will help also, before using them make sure to seek the help of a professional herbalist. Shingles can cause excruciating pain, and leave you with nerve damage for the rest of your life. These are a few simple facts to help you in preventing shingles.
