SHINGLES SYMPTOMS CAUSES DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENTS

shingles

DEFINITION

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Although
shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears
as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or
the right side of your torso.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus
that causes chickenpox. After you've had chickenpox, the virus
lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain.

SYMPTOMS

signs and symptoms may
include:
Pain, burning, numbness or tingling Sensitivity to touch A red rash
that begins a few days after the pain Fluid-filled blisters that break
open and crust over Itching
Some people also experience:
Fever Headache Sensitivity to light and Fatigue
Pain is usually the first symptom of shingles. For some, it can be
intense. Depending on the location of the pain, it can sometimes
be mistaken for a symptom of problems affecting the heart, lungs
or kidneys. Some people experience shingles pain without ever
developing the rash.
Most commonly, the shingles rash develops as a stripe of blisters
that wraps around either the left or right side of your torso.
Sometimes the shingles rash occurs around one eye or on one
side of the neck or face.

CAUSES

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus
that causes chickenpox. Anyone who's had chickenpox may
develop shingles. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus
can enter your nervous system and lie dormant for years.
Eventually, it may reactivate and travel along nerve pathways to
skin — producing shingles.
The reason for the encore is unclear. But it may be due to
lowered immunity to infections as you grow older. Shingles is
more common in older adults and in people who have weak
immune systems.
Varicella-zoster is part of a group of viruses called herpes
viruses, which includes the viruses that cause cold sores
and genital herpes. Because of this, shingles is also known as
herpes zoster. But the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles
is not the same virus responsible for cold sores or genital herpes,
a sexually transmitted infection.
Chickenpox can be dangerous for some groups of people. Until
your shingles blisters scab over, you are contagious and should
avoid physical contact with:
Anyone who has a weak immune system Newborns Pregnant
women

COMPLICATIONS

Complications from shingles can include:
Postherpetic neuralgia. For some people, shingles pain continues
long after the blisters have cleared. This condition is known as
postherpetic neuralgia, and it occurs when damaged nerve fibers
send confused and exaggerated messages of pain from your skin
to your brain.Vision loss. Shingles in or around an eye
(ophthalmic shingles) can cause painful eye infections that may
result in vision loss.Neurological problems. Depending on which
nerves are affected, shingles can cause an inflammation of the
brain (encephalitis), facial paralysis, or hearing or balance
problems.Skin infections. If shingles blisters aren't properly
treated, bacterial skin infections may develop.

PREPARING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT

Some people have such mild symptoms of shingles that they
don't seek medical treatment. At the other extreme, severe
symptoms may result in a visit to the emergency room.

TESTS AND DIAGNOSIS

Shingles is usually diagnosed based on the history of pain on one
side of your body, along with the telltale rash and blisters. Your
doctor may also take a tissue scraping or culture of the blisters
for examination in the laboratory.

TREATMENTS AND DRUGS

There's no cure for shingles, but prompt treatment with
prescription antiviral drugs can speed healing and reduce your
risk of complications. These medications include:
Acyclovir (Zovirax)Valacyclovir (Valtrex)Famciclovir (Famvir)
Shingles can cause severe pain, so your doctor also may
prescribe:
Capsaicin cream Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin
(Neurontin)Tricyclic antidepressants, such as
amitriptyline Numbing agents, such as lidocaine, delivered via a
cream, gel, spray or skin patch Medications that contain narcotics,
such as codeine injection including corticosteroids and local
anesthetics
Shingles generally lasts between two and six weeks. Most people
get shingles only once, but it is possible to get it two or more
times.