Causes of Shingles
Shingles is a painful condition that arises from a viral infection. The virus that causes shingles is the same one that results in chicken pox. Shingles is characterized by a rash that crops up on one side of the body and develops blisters. Shingles is normally nothing more than a painful inconvenience until it goes away but in some instances it can lead to serious complications.
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Effects
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The varicella-zoster virus is responsible for causing chicken pox, mostly in children and younger adults. This virus is a member of the herpes family, the same types of viruses which result in such conditions as cold sores and genital herpes. If someone has suffered from chicken pox in their past they can develop shingles when this virus, which lies dormant in the roots of the nerves for years and years, suddenly "reawakens." Some individuals have an immune system that can destroy the virus totally during their bout with chicken pox, while others cannot and are at risk of shingles later on in life.
Time Frame
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Where shingles occurs on the body depends on where the virus has lain dormant. The first sign that shingles is afoot is a band of painful skin that is very sensitive to the touch. This feeling can be described as itching, aching, burning, or extreme pain. After this pain manifests itself it can take as long as 3 days for the shingles rash to appear. It will be red with bumps and blisters that eventually fill with pus and then open up, a process that takes place over a period of 10 to 13 days. The shingles rash will be gone in 2 or 3 weeks as the scabs that form over the blisters fall away, with scarring a distinct possibility.
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Considerations
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While it is possible for any person who has had chicken pox to also get shingles it usually occurs in people over the age of 60 years old, with this being the case more than 50% of the time. Someone who does have shingles is contagious, with the ability to pass the virus on to someone who hasn't ever had chicken pox. This takes making direct contact with the open shingles blisters and sores that stem from the rash. The infected person will not come down with shingles; they will acquire chicken pox from such exposure.
Theories/Speculation
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There is much speculation about what makes the herpes virus responsible for shingles reactivate. Various factors have been explored and there seems to be links to such things as a person being under duress and stress or becoming tired and fatigued. This tends to weaken the immune system, which may allow the virus to come back and cause shingles. People that have a weakened immune system are prone to getting shingles if they have had chicken pox. This means that individuals with HIV/AIDS or those that are undergoing radiation or chemotherapy can be vulnerable. While shingles normally happen just once there have been cases where it arises again in the same person, just in a different part of the body.
Prevention/Solution
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If a person does develop a case of shingles they need to be careful and avoid contact with others. This is particularly true when it comes to steering clear of people who have never had chicken pox or have a compromised immune system. It is essential that they have no contact with newborn babies and pregnant women, as the shingles virus can give them chicken pox, which is dangerous for infants. Almost 20% of the people that have shingles will acquire a condition afterward called postherpetic neuralgia, which happens when the nerve fibers damaged by the condition transmit enhanced messages of pain to the brain from the formerly affected region of the skin. This can last for as long as years in isolated cases and requires treatment ranging from pain relief medications to antidepressants.
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