Shingles Treatment Information

What is Shingles?

Shingles is an infection which causes small, fluid-filled blisters to appear on the trunk or face of your body. It starts with a tingling feeling or itchiness or sometimes numbness in the area in which it is going to appear and then develops into patch of blisters which appears like chickenpox. Shingles appear on persons who have earlier had chicken pox. The varicella-zoster virus, a virus from the herpes family causes shingles.

Shingles is also called as herpes zoster. It is to be noted that this is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles usually affects the elder people than the younger people, as the elderly people tend to have less efficient immune systems. It may also affect the immuno-deficient individuals. A person with shingles may pass the virus to any individual who had not been affected by this virus. Passing this virus will not cause shingles on that individual, but they will get chicken pox if they were not affected by chickenpox earlier. If they had been affected by chicken pox earlier they will get shingles.

Cause

Shingles results in greater pain due to the inflammation of the nerve that lies just beneath the skin's surface. Shingles are caused due to the same virus which causes chickenpox. The virus, after infecting the person with chickenpox, moves to the nervous system and remains there dormant for many years. Whenever the immune system gets weakened as a result of a more severe or lengthy illness, extreme stress, or a therapy involving suppression of the immune system, the virus is reactivated which results in shingles. Shingles is common in people with a weakened immune system, such as AIDS patients or people taking anticancer or imunosuppressant drugs. Overall health and nutrition often determine the severity of illness and length of recovery.

Prevention

Till date, there is no known way to prevent shingles. But you can avoid getting the virus that causes both chickenpox and later shingles by taking the varicella vaccine currently recommended for preventing chickenpox. There is no valid proof to confirm that this vaccine prevents the development of shingles in individuals already affected by chickenpox. The varicella vaccine helps boost immunity. If you have never had chickenpox, avoid contact with people who have shingles or chickenpox. Fluid from shingles blisters is contagious, and exposure to it can cause chickenpox in people who have never had chickenpox.

Symptoms

Symptoms of shingles range from mild itching to extreme and sometimes intense pain. Some of the other
common symptoms include slight fever, malaise, chills, upset stomach, bruised feeling, usually on one side of your face or body, pain followed by tingling, itching, or prickling skin and an inflamed, red skin rash. Additional symptoms include a group or long strip of small, fluid-filled blisters and deep burning, searing, aching, or stabbing pain, which may be continuous or intermittent.

Disclaimer : The text presented on these pages is for your information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. It may not represent your true individual medical situation. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting a qualified health care provider. Please consult your health care provider if you have any questions or concerns.

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