How to Avoid Herpes Zoster

If you know how to avoid herpes zoster, you can live without an outbreak---ever. Herpes zoster is also known as shingles. It affects people that contact the varicella virus that is the cause of chicken pox. Once you have the virus, it lives in the nerve cells of the nervous system and the skin. Although you have the virus for life (it can stay dormant in the body without causing symptoms), it is possible to see symptoms only once if you take proper care of yourself.

Instructions

• 1

  If you have never had chicken pox, avoid contact with anyone who is sick with an active case. You can contract the varicella virus that causes shingles if you are exposed to anyone that has the chicken pox.

• 2

  Similarly, if you have never had chicken pox, avoid contact with someone that has a herpes zoster breakout. People that have never had the varicella virus as a child in the form of chicken pox can contact the virus if they touch the blister of a person with shingles.

• 3

  If you have had chicken pox, keep your immune system healthy. You must get enough rest, eat a healthy diet, get moderate amounts of exercise and reduce stress in your life. Day-to-day stress can cause the dormant virus varicella to become active.

• 4

  Avoid injury or sunburn to the skin. Any trauma to the skin can trigger the dormant varicella virus. Overexposure to sun not only can increase the risk of skin cancer, it can trigger the onset of herpes zoster if the virus is dormant in the body.