Being vaccinated against shingles in your child is probably the most effective method to prevent shingling postherpetic nerve pain (PHN). The pain, however, can be quite serious. Those familiar with the stabbing, constant sensation of PHN have compared it to passing up an electrical current; others have described it as comparable to pins and needles on the skin.
Shingles symptoms are usually seen in one corner of the body only the side of the body that developed the shingling rash. If the rash continues across the entire length of the body, a diagnosis of shingles has been made. Shingles in adults can manifest in the same areas or at different times. The rash is usually not painful but can be extremely itchy. It may cause extreme fatigue, poor appetite and/or constipation, and other symptoms including fever, swollen glands, muscle pain and spasms, and headaches.
What causes this condition? Shingles is caused by a virus called the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). This is a viral infection that affects the nerve cells in the body. The virus affects the nerves in the eye, spine, arms, legs, and brain. The infection affects the nerves in the skin and the spinal cord.
Who are at a higher risk for developing shingles? Those who suffer from an underlying condition, such as diabetes, are at a greater risk for developing this disease. People who have heart problems or strokes are also at a greater risk. Also those who have a history of developing this disease, or have a family member with the disease, are at a greater risk.
How do rashes affect those who develop shingles? When the virus touches the nerve it triggers a painful rash. The rashes will be located on one side of the body or the other. Usually the pain will be located between the eyebrows. Blisters will develop between the rashes and these can burst and cause severe pain.
How are complications associated with shingles? There are several complications that can occur when an infection affects the nerves in the skin. These complications include:
What are the treatments available for shingles? There are many medications available for the treatment of this disease. One of the medications is an anti-viral medication that is given intravenously, as well as oral medications. There are also interferon injections that are given to relieve symptoms and to slow down the progress of the infection. The medications can take up to six weeks to take effect.
Are there any other types of treatment? Shingles can also lead to other complications such as inflammation, eye complications, pain and cognitive difficulties. If an infection affects the nerves and if the rashes and blisters cause damage to the eyes, vision will be impaired and this can lead to further complications. Eye infections are more common than eye complications, but eye complications can lead to loss of vision, pain and other problems.
Is it contagious? A case of shingles can be passed from one person to another, by direct contact, by sharing utensils, clothing or other personal items. However, shingles is not transmitted by air or water. It is caused by a strain of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a highly contagious viral infection, which is highly resistant to the common antibiotics.
How does one contract shingles? The virus may be spread to different areas of the body when the blisters and painful skin lesions develop, but transmission is usually by physical contact. It is possible to develop blisters on other areas of the body, such as the hands or feet, and then transfer the infection to the patient’s face. If the infected person touches an area where there is pain, there is a good chance that the virus will be spread.
Are there complications from having shingles? It is possible to develop complications, such as facial paralysis and cognitive difficulties, from the acute infection. However, these complications are usually temporary and will disappear once the person has recovered from the illness. They are also more likely to occur if the person has had previous outbreaks of chickenpox or other forms of chronic varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox) or herpes.
How does one contract shingles? Shingles usually occurs in adults between the ages of fifteen and forty, although the virus can sometimes be dormant for long periods of time. Irritation from a recently injured muscle or tendon can be the initiating factor for the appearance of shingles outbreaks, or they may occur after an individual has had chickenpox or received an immunization against the herpes simplex virus. In rare cases, the disease can be dormant for months or years, causing no symptoms at all, but then resurfacing to give rise to complex symptoms such as severe pain and inflammation.