Shingles Rash Information

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash and blisters to erupt on any part of the body. It is similar to the childhood disease, chickenpox, but usually occurs in elderly adults or people with weakened immune systems.

Cause

• Shingles is caused by the herpes virus called varicella-zoster. It is the same virus that causes chicken pox. When a person recovers from the chicken pox, the varicella virus can remain dormant in their nervous system for years. Eventually, the virus can reactivate and travel along nerve pathways to the skin. The result is a shingles outbreak.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of shingles start with a painful, burning feeling in the body, followed by a red rash and fluid-filled blisters. The blisters break open and crust over. Most commonly, the shingles rash covers one side of the body from spine to chest. Sometimes the rash occurs on one side of the face or neck.

Complications

• Some complications from shingles include infection of the blisters, the rash spreading into the eye area causing permanent vision problems, and postherpetic neuralgia -- pain that continues long after the blisters have healed. In most cases, shingles heals within several weeks without complications.

Treatment

• To help speed healing and reduce complications, antiviral drugs should be taken within 72 hours after the first signs of shingles. Topical ointments provide relief for itching, and prescription pain medications will help ease the severe pain that accompanies the virus.

Prevention

• To help prevent shingles, the varicella-zoster vaccine is available to individuals age 60 and older. While the vaccine does not guarantee that you will not get shingles, it can reduce the severity of the disease.