Shingles:- Shingles is a viral infection characterized by a painful blistering rash. It is present in a localized area, usually on the patient’s trunk. It is caused by a varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once you have chickenpox, the virus stays in your body in an inactive form. This disease can become active again as various reasons and lead to the progress of shingles. The main symptom of the disease is the rash. However, in some cases, people feel a tingling sensation in the affected area before the rash develops. The rash usually appears on the face, neck, or body.
The risk of developing shingles increases with age and is most common in people over the age of 50. The infection usually clears up on its own within 7 to 10 days and people don’t need any other medication, but in some cases nerve pain can occur, which can persist even after the rash has gone away.
Shingles
Shingles is a viral flu also known as herpes zoster. It can affect anyone who has been in contact with the varicella zoster virus. The virus initially causes chickenpox, which is characterized by itchy blisters that appear on the back, face, and all over the body. When the virus becomes active a second time, shingles occurs, with the painful rash appearing on only one side of the body.
The virus can lie dormant in the host’s nerve cells for years or even decades and then reactivate itself. It can then travel to the skin via these nerve cells and cause the rash. The rash can last 7 to 10 days, but it can last longer in people with weak immune systems. The disease is not usually fatal, but it can lead to long-term nerve damage known as post-herpetic neuralgia. Shingles can prevented by getting a shingles vaccine before you get chickenpox.
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Shingles Details
| Article Name | Shingles |
| Category | Health |
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Stages of Shingles
Shingles grow & matures in the following stages.
- At first, the patient feels a tingling sensation in the area that will be affected by the Shingles. This usually happens in the dermatome of the nerve through which the virus travels.
- A raised red rash usually appears on one side of the body. The most commonly affected areas are the face, neck, chest and torso, but they are not the only areas affected by the virus.
- After three to five days, the rash turns completely red and also contains open, fluid-filled blisters.
- After about 10 days, the blisters will begin to dry up and the rash will subside.
- The marks and scabs disappear in about 3 to 4 weeks.
- However, the pain can persist in some cases, leading to post-herpetic neuralgia.
Symptoms of Shingles
Shingles can have a variety of symptoms that can lead to misdiagnosis. You must carefully monitor your symptoms and report them to your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Patients show the following symptoms when they are infected with shingles.
- Fever
- Headache
- Malaise
- Painful Rash and blisters over one side of their body
- Tingling sensation in the area affected by the rash
- Sensitivity to touch
- Nausea or vomiting
- Itchy rash
- Chills
- Muscle weakness
- Rash over your eye
- Loss of hearing or intense pain in your ear
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Causes of Shingles
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. After the chickenpox is gone in your body, the virus travels to your nerve cells and stays close to your spinal cord and brain.
Then it is reactivated and moves along the nerve cells and gets to your skin where it causes irritation of the nerve cells and leads to the development of the rash. There are possible risk factors that can lead to reactivation of the virus in your body.
Age
Shingles can affect anyone at any age, but it is more common in people over the age of 50.
Weak Immunity
People who have HIV, cancer, or other long-term illnesses tend to have weaker immunity, which can lead to reactivation of the shingles virus and thus the development of shingles.
Long Term Medications
People who have been taking steroid medication for a long time tend to have a weak immune system, which can lead to reactivation of the herpes virus.
Stress
People suffering from stress or psychological trauma can develop shingles because prolonged psychological stress weakens the immune system.
The Shingles virus can be transmitted to a person who has not previously had chickenpox infection. This can lead to the development of chickenpox in that person as this is their first exposure to the virus.
Diagnosis of Shingles
Shingles is easy to diagnose once the rash appears because no other disease produces a rash with the same pattern. If the rash is not present, other diagnostic methods are used to make an accurate diagnosis and rule out other disorders.
Visual Inspection of the Rash
The doctor will visually check the rash and blisters to watch if they are in a dermatomal pattern or not. This step that the rash appears only in the area of the nerve where the virus came from.
Test of the Blisters
If the doctor still needs confirmation, they will test the fluid in the blisters for the presence of the virus.
Although blood tests are rarely needed to diagnose shingles, the rash alone is enough. However, sometimes your doctor will do a blood test to confirm the diagnosis.
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Treatment of Shingles
There’s no cure for shingles because it’s caused by a virus, but you can treat the pain and rash to relieve it. Treatment methods also focus on reducing complications and onpostherpetic neuralgia.
Analgesics
They are given to patients to treat mild to moderate pain. Over-the-counter topical lotions are also use to relieve the rash and blisters.
Antivirals
Your doctor may also prescribe antiviral medications to reduce the severity and duration of the infection. However, this does not prevent post-herpetic neuralgia.
Steroids
Corticosteroids are use to treat Shingles because they reduce inflammation and the pain of the rash. They do not have any major side effects for patients.
Antihistamines
They are prescribed to patients who report severe itching from their rash. They can also reduce the extent of rashes.
Numbing creams
Numbing creams have also been prescribed to applied to the rashes and blisters to relieve pain and itching.
You can also try the following home remedies to treat your rashes and blisters.
- Take cool baths and showers to cleanse and soothe your rashes and blisters.
- Put ice packs on your rashes to help soothe them and relieve itching.
- Eat foods containing Vitamins & nutrients to boost your immunity.
Complications of Shingles
Shingles is not life-threatening, but it can cause serious complications in patients over the age of 50.
Postherpetic Neuralgia
This is persistent nerve pain, even after the rash and blisters have gone away. The pain is caused by damaged nerve cells transmitting an exaggerated response to normal stimuli.
Vision Loss
If the rash has affected your eye, you may experience loss of vision in that eye because the virus can damage the optic nerve.
Hearing Loss
When a rash and blisters appear in your ear canal, it can damage the auditory nerve and cause hearing loss in that ear.
Meningitis And Other Infections
The open blisters can attract bacteria that can lead to the development of some serious infections like meningitis, facial nerve palsy, etc. These infections can require hospitalization and long-term care.
Recurrence Of Shingles
Shingles can reoccur in these patients as the virus can become active again and again.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
It is a rare complication, but it can occur. Half of your face is paralyzed, affecting your ability to communicate and hear.
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Prevention of Shingles
The only way to prevent shingles is to get the chickenpox vaccine before you get chickenpox. This will prevent you from catching the virus even if someone you know has been infected.
The vaccine may contain live attenuated virus or an adjuvanted subunit. You can also prevent the transmission of shingles from one person to another by taking the following preventive measures:
Clean And Cover The Blisters
You should clean the blisters and cover them properly so that the liquid in the blisters does not come into contact with another person.
Wash Your Hands Often
If you’re caring for a shingles patient, be sure to wash your hands regularly so you don’t spread the virus to other people.
Eat A Balanced Diet
Eat a balanced diet so your immune system can function properly and keep the dormant virus in check.
Avoid Contact With An Infected Person
Do not come into contact with a person who has Shingles if you have not had chickenpox in your lifetime, as the virus can be transmitted to you.
Take Care Of Your Immunity
If you have long-term diseases like HIV, cancer, etc., it means that your immunity is weakened and therefore you need to take extra care of yourself because the virus can be activated in your body.
Shingles FAQ’S
What makes you get shingles?
The reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox, is what causes shingles. After you have had chickenpox, the varicella-zoster infection lies torpid (latent) inside your body. It has the potential to reactivate at a later stage, resulting in shingles.
What are the first indications of shingles?
A painful rash that appears on one side of the body or face is known as shingles. Blisters make up the rash, which typically subsides in 7 to 10 days and disappears completely in 2 to 4 weeks. Before the rash shows up, individuals frequently have agony, tingling, or shivering in the space where it will create.
What is the best treatment for shingles?
Acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir are three antiviral medications that can be used to treat shingles and reduce its duration and severity. When taken as soon as possible after the rash appears, these medications are most effective.
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