Facts About Shingles

Shingles is a painful condition that occurs mostly in older people, but can affect people of any age who have had chicken pox. Shingles runs along nerves paths in the body, producing symptoms usually only on one side of the body. Pain can be severe or hardly noticeable, depending on the individual case.

Facts

• Shingles is also referred to as herpes zoster, as it is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. The chicken pox virus is called varicella-zoster (see Resources). Shingles can be painful but is not life-threatening.

Causes

• The varicella-zoster virus lies dormant in your body after you have had chicken pox. Stress, a compromised immune system and other factors that are unclear cause the virus to revive in the form of shingles, according to the Mayo Clinic (see Resources).

Symptoms

• Symptoms of shingles include small blisters or a red rash along one side of your body or around the trunk. The blisters may itch or be painful to the touch.

Duration

• Most people begin to experience healing and less pain within four weeks of diagnosis.

Treatment

• As shingles is a virus, it must run its course. Anti-viral drugs such as acyclovir may be used to lessen the pain. Anti-viral drugs may also shorten the course of the disease in some people.

Prevention

• Shingles is contagious--if someone you know has it and you have not had chicken pox, stay away. Those who have had chicken pox and are more than 60 years old may opt to get a shingles vaccine to reduce the likelihood of developing shingles. Chicken pox vaccines are commonly given to children as part of their well-child visits.