Medical Information on Shingles

Shingles is an infection caused by a virus that can trigger a painful rash on the skin. Shingles can appear as a group of blisters that go from your back all the way to your chest. Shingles is brought about by the same virus that is responsible for chicken pox. Although not life threatening, shingles is no fun and can lead to more serious conditions.

Time Frame

The same virus that gives you chicken pox gives you shingles as well: the varicella-zoster virus. They are of the herpes family of viruses, the same ones that cause cold sores. This virus will lie dormant for years before flaring up and if you have had chicken pox then you can develop a case of shingles years and years later from this same virus which is still in your body if your immune system failed to destroy it initially. Doctors cannot explain the reason for the virus to become active again but feel it is related to the person's immune system.

Effects

Some of the signs and symptoms of shingles include a burning and tingling pain followed by a reddish rash days later. Blisters can develop that break open and become crusty. Itching, fever and chills, and a headache can accompany shingles. The typical episode of shingles occurs on one side of your body, wrapping around from your back to one side of your chest. However, shingles can also occur on the head, by your eyes or on the neck. The pain that comes with shingles is the first sign of the condition and it can be so severe that touching the affected area can be extremely painful. The rash does not always show up, which makes a shingles diagnosis difficult at best.

Significance

Shingles is significant in that the pain can remain for about one in five people that get it. Even after the blisters have gone away what is known as postherpetic neuralgia can make the nerve fibers in the skin send messages to the brain that result in pain. The skin will be very sensitive to even the slightest touch and this can last for months and even years in rare cases. Inflammation of the brain and loss of hearing are other rare shingles side effects as is potential infection from the blisters if not properly treated.

Considerations

Shingles will heal on its own in the majority of cases. There are medications to help ease the suffering associated with the disease. Antiviral drugs can help keep the harshness of the symptoms to a minimum if given promptly upon a diagnosis of shingles. Anti-inflammatory drugs can halt swelling and pain relievers can have some effect on the discomfort. Topical ointments to relieve itchiness may also prove useful.

Prevention/Solution

A pair of vaccines is out there that may help keep you from learning about shingles the hard way. One is the chickenpox vaccine, commonly given to children between 12 and 18 months old but it can also be given to older kids and even adults that have not had chickenpox. The shingles vaccine is for people over the age of 60. Neither of these vaccines can guarantee that you will not acquire shingles but they more than likely will keep the severity of the symptoms down if you do happen to get it.