What is Shingles disease?

Shingles or also known as Herpes Zoster is a health problem characterized by painful blisters on the skin.  Shingles is brought about by a virus named Varicella Zoster Virus or VZV, the one that is also responsible for the chickenpox disease in human. A person who suffered chickenpox in his or her childhood is vulnerable to have Shingles disease.

Even if the person already recovered from chickenpox, the remainders of the VZV virus remain in his or her body for his or her entire life. Shingles disease is sometimes referred as revisiting chickenpox disease, which reappears once the needed situations for the disease are obtained like:

  1. If the person is under stress
  2. If the person become immunocompromised (diseases like AIDS, medications, illness, etc.)

Since shingles is a revisiting chickenpox disease, shingles is more painful than chickenpox.

Signs & Symptoms

The following are the signs and symptoms of shingles disease:

  1. Flu-like symptoms
  2. Tiredness
  3. Gastrointestinal problems
  4. Sudden chills
  5. Itching on the affected areas
  6. Small painful blisters or skin rashes patterned like a belt or band arising from spine to chest is the most characteristic symptom of Shingles

Risk Factors

Here is the list of some of the possible risk factors of Shingles Disease:

  1. Previous case of chickenpox (highest risk)
  2. Old age (above 50 years old)
  3. Immunocompromised individuals (AIDS and cancer patients, etc.)
  4. People taking chemotherapy or immunosuppressive medications

Complications

Since there is no successful treatment available on Shingles Disease at present if the patient progresses into the advance stage, he or she may develop a condition known as chronic neuralgia, which is also a painful condition. To prevent this problem to happen it is recommended that if you experience shingles call your doctor right away for proper consultation and treatment.

If no proper treatment is given, in rare cases shingles can lead to these serious problems:

  1. Blindness
  2. Pneumonia
  3. Organ malfunction
  4. Hearing difficulties
  5. Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
  6. Death

Is Shingles contagious?

Even though the VZV virus that is responsible for chickenpox and shingles disease can be transmitted by direct contact of any healthy person, with the open wounds, rashes or blisters of the patient who has shingles disease, shingles is not completely contagious condition.

A strong person can never have Shingles disease following an indirect contact with the patient having Shingles. The only stage when this condition is contagious is when the blisters with clear fluid appeared and the rashes surrounding the blisters have not formed crusts.

Things you need to remember about shingles disease: 

Here are some helpful tips that you need to do manage this condition:

  1. Shingles is a contagious disease during the stage when blisters appeared until the development of crusts, patient must be cautious to cover the blisters to prevent disease transmission
  2. Follow the doctor strictly
  3. Avoid contact with the sun and keep patient in a cool and dry room
  4. Prevent rubbing of the skin rashes

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