Question about shingles?

Question

What exactly is shingles, and how do you get it????

Answer 1

Shingles are similar to chicken pox. The markings mostly occur on your back and are very painful. Singles occurs mostly in the elderly as they have compromised immune systems. Shingles is often brought about by high levels of stress. If you had chicken pox then there's generally nothing to worry about.

Answer 2

Shingles is a skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus responsible for these conditions is called Varicella zoster. After an individual has chickenpox, this virus lives in the nerves and is never fully cleared from the body. Under certain circumstances, such as emotional stress, immune deficiency (from AIDS or chemotherapy) or with cancer, the virus re- activates causing shingles. In most cases, however, a cause for the reactivation of the virus is never found. The herpes virus that causes shingles and chicken pox is not the same as the herpes virus that causes genital herpes (which can be sexually transmitted) and herpes mouth sores. Shingles is medically termed Herpes zoster.

Before a rash is visible, the patient may notice several days to a week of burning pain and sensitive skin. Shingles start as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for 3-5 days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that comes out of the spinal cord (called dermatomal pattern). The entire path of the nerve may be involved or there may be areas with blisters and areas without blisters. Generally, only one nerve level is involved. In a rare case, more than one nerve will be involved. Eventually, the blisters pop and the area starts to ooze. The area will then crust over and heal. The whole process may take 3-4 weeks from start to finish. On occasion, the pain will be present but the blisters may never appear. This can be a very confusing cause of local pain!

Answer 3

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Answer 5

Some of the virus that causes chicken pox stays in the body. It remains inactive in the nerve cells near the spine for many years. Then it suddenly becomes active, causing shingles.
Shingles is caused by a virus called varicella zoster. This is the same virus that causes chicken pox. It is a herpes virus. Shingles is also called herpes zoster.The virus becomes active when a person's immune system (the body's defense against disease) gets weaker. The immune system gets weaker as people get older. That's why shingles usually occurs in people over age 65. Diseases like HIV and cancer and certain drugs like those to prevent organ rejection also weaken the immune system.

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Answer 8

Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus and occurs in people who have had chickenpox in the past. It involves nerves and blisters run the course of intercostal nerves or nerves in neck and pain can be severe.

Answer 9

I have not had them but my mother-in-law did. They are very painful and itchy. They are caused by the same virus that gives kids chicken pox. This was recently discovered so now people 60 and over can get a chicken pox vaccination to help prevent them. I guess you don't usually get them until you're older.

Answer 10

What is Shingles?
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a common viral infection of the nerves, which results in a painful rash of small blisters on an area of skin anywhere on the body. Even after the rash is gone, the pain can continue for months, even years.

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves for many years. Herpes zoster is more common in persons with a depressed immune system, and in persons over the age of 50.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shingles affects an estimated 600,000 to one million people each year.

What are the Symptoms of Shingles?
The following are the most common symptoms of shingles. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

skin sensitivity and/or pain in the area of the skin before the rash appears

rash, which appears after five days and initially looks like small, red spots that turn into blisters (usually takes about two to three days)

blisters turn yellow and dry, often leaving small, pitted scars

Other early symptoms of shingles may include:

gastrointestinal upset

feeling ill

fever

headache

The symptoms of shingles may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

How is Shingles Diagnosed?
In addition to a complete physical examination and medical history, diagnostic tests for shingles may include the following:

skin scrapings - a procedure in which the skin is gently scraped to determine if the virus is shingles or another virus.

blood tests

Complications of Shingles:
Active shingles symptoms usually do not last longer than three to five weeks. However, complications do occasionally occur. The two major complications that can occur as a result of a case of shingles include the following:

postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)
The most common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN is characterized by continuous, chronic pain that a person feels even after the skin lesions have healed. The pain may be severe in the area where the blisters were present, and the affected skin may be very sensitive to heat and cold.

Persons who are at increased risk for PHN include those who have severe pain during active shingles, those with sensory impairment, and elderly persons. Early treatment of shingles may prevent PHN. In addition, analgesics (pain relieving medications) and steroid treatment (to help reduce inflammation) may be used to treat the pain and inflammation.

bacterial infection
A second common and severe complication of shingles is a bacterial infection on the skin where the lesions are located. Infections can lead to further complications, such as superficial gangrene and scarring. When an infection occurs near or on the eyes, a secondary bacterial infection or corneal opacification (clouding of the cornea) may occur.

Treatment for Shingles:
Specific treatment for shingles will be determined by your physician based on:

your age, overall health, and medical history

extent of the condition

your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies

expectations for the course of the condition

your opinion or preference

Shingles has to run its course, because there is no cure for the disease. Treatment usually focuses on pain relief. Treatment may include painkillers to help alleviate some of the pain, and antiviral drugs to help lessen some of the symptoms and minimize nerve damage. Other treatments may include:

bed rest, especially during the early phase of shingles, if fever is present

calamine lotion or similar medication (to treat itching)

cool compresses applied to affected skin areas

surgery to remove an affected nerve (in cases of severe pain that cannot be relieved with medication)