What is shingles?
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection of the nerve roots. It causes pain and often causes a rash on one side of the body, the left or right. The rash appears in a band, a strip, or a small area. Shingles is most common in older adults and people who have weak immune systems because of stress, injury, certain medicines, or other reasons. Most people who get shingles will get better and will not get it again.
What causes shingles?
Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus "sleeps" (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus "wakes up" when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.
You can't catch shingles from someone else who has shingles.
You can't catch shingles from someone else who has shingles.
What are the symptoms of shingles ?
The first symptom is a burning pain or tingling and extreme sensitivity in one area of the skin. This may be present for one to three days before a red rash occurs. A group of blisters then forms on a red base which looks like chicken pox lesions. The blisters generally last for two to three weeks, during which time they accumulate pus and then crust over and begin to disappear. The pain may last longer.
How severe is the pain ?
The pain is severe enough for the doctor to prescribe pain killers. A long-lasting painful complication of shingles called post-herpetic neuralgia occurs in some older patients. This may last long after the shingles have healed.
The pain is severe enough for the doctor to prescribe pain killers. A long-lasting painful complication of shingles called post-herpetic neuralgia occurs in some older patients. This may last long after the shingles have healed.
Is shingles contagious ?
Shingles is much less contagious than chicken pox. People with shingles can spread the virus if blisters are broken and a susceptible person (someone who has never had chicken pox or who is already ill) is close by. The people who are at risk include babies and those who already are ill such as cancer patients.
Shingles is much less contagious than chicken pox. People with shingles can spread the virus if blisters are broken and a susceptible person (someone who has never had chicken pox or who is already ill) is close by. The people who are at risk include babies and those who already are ill such as cancer patients.
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