Shingles refer to a viral infection that leads to painful rashes in humans. It can appear anywhere on your body. You may have a single blisters stripe that wraps the left or right area of the torso. The varicella-zoster virus leads to shingles in humans.
It is the same virus that induces the symptoms of chickenpox in people. The virus remains inactive in the area of your brain and spinal cord after you have experienced chickenpox. After years, the virus reactivates and appears as shingles.
The condition of shingles is not life-threatening. It is a painful condition. Vaccination can decrease the risk of developing shingles. Early treatment is good to reduce the infection of shingles. It also decreases the chances of developing complications.
The common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia. It induces the pain of shingles for a long time after the clearance of blisters.
Symptoms
Shingles symptoms appear on one side of the human body. Following are the common symptoms that appear after having shingles.
- Itching
- Sensitivity to touch
- Burning, pain, tingling, or numbness
- Red rash that appears after few days of having rashes
- Fluid-filled blisters that starting breaking open and then crust over
Some people may also have headaches, fever, fatigue, and sensitivity to light. Commonly, the first symptom of shingles is pain. It can be severe for some people. The pain of shingles can be mistakenly perceived as the symptoms of lungs, kindness, or heart.
It depends on the location of the pain. Some people may experience this pain without developing rashes caused by shingles.
Usually, the rashes of shingles develop as the blisters stripes. These stripes wrap around the human torso’s right or left side. The rash of shingles can also occur on one side of your neck, face, or eye.
When To Visit A Health Care Professional?
Contact your doctor if you are experiencing the symptoms of shingles. Following are the situations in which it is important to visit a health care professional.
- Rash and pain occur in your eye area. If you leave this condition untreated then it can permanently damage your eye.
- If you are above 60 years then you are vulnerable to develop shingles. The reason is that age enhances the risk of getting complications.
- See your doctor immediately if the rash is painful and it is widespread.
- If your family member or you has a weak immune system due to medical illnesses such as cancer or medications then go to a doctor for the right treatment.
Causes
Varicella-zoster virus is the cause of shingles. Anyone who is experiencing the symptoms of shingles is at greater risk of developing shingles. The virus enters the area of your nervous system after you recover from chickenpox. It lies dormant for many years.
Virus reactivates in the human body. It can travel along your nerve pathways to the area of your skin that leads to the development of the symptoms of shingles. Not everyone who experienced the condition of chickenpox will develop the symptoms of shingles.
The exact cause for developing shingles is not clear. But it may develop due to weak immunity to different infections with the increase of age. The condition of shingles is common in adults. It is also common in people with weak immunity.
Varicella-zoster is a part of the virus group known as herpes viruses. It includes the viruses that lead to genital herpes and cold sores. The condition of shingles is also called herpes zoster.
The virus that leads to shingles and chickenpox is not a similar virus that causes genital herpes and cold sores. People with shingles can transmit varicella-zoster to others who are not immune to chickenpox.
Direct contact with the shingle rash that is open source can lead to the development of its symptoms. The person will develop the symptoms of chickenpox not shingles once he is infected. Chickenpox is harmful to some people.
You are contagious until the scabbing of your blisters that are caused by shingles. That is the reason you should avoid physical contact with others who have not yet experienced chickenpox.
Avoid physical contact with people also who are not vaccinated for chickenpox. Do the same with the people who have weak immunity, newborns, and pregnant women.
Risk Factors
Anyone who has experienced chickenpox can develop the infection of shingles. Following are the factors that may enhance the risk of getting the symptoms of shingles.
- Being older than fifty years
- Having medical illnesses such as cancer, AIDS/HIV
- Having a weak immunity
- Taking specific medications
- Going through cancer treatments