As someone who has suffered the relentless pain Shingles can inflict, I can honestly tell you that this is something you do want to protect yourself against – WHY SUFFER IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO?!
FACTS
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 distinctively wraps around one side of your torso. The early signs of Shingles
usually develop in three stages: severe pain and/or tingling, possibly an itchy
rash, and blisters that look similar to Chickenpox. Personally, I could always
feel the Shingles acting up before any sign of the rash appeared; the affected
area would feel like it was sore and bruised, then it would tingle and felt
like a mild itch that was too deep under the skin to scratch.
Shingles is caused by the Varicella Zoster (aka Herpes 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. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. Once you are infected with the Herpes Zoster virus, it remains in your body for life and remains inactive until a period when your immunity is down. I could always tell when I was overtired and rundown because my Shingles would flare up again.
When
the virus becomes reactivates, you may get symptoms such as rash, upset
stomach, malaise, headache, fever and chills. Additional symptoms
can include: abdominal pain; difficulty moving some of the muscles in the face;
drooping eyelid; general ill-feeling; genital lesions; hearing loss; joint
pain; loss of eye motion; swollen glands (lymph nodes); taste problems and/or
vision problems.
When
the virus enters its "quiet" phase after Chickenpox, it remains dormant
in certain nerves. Shingles will break
out in the areas of the body connected to those nerve cells; as a result, only
one section or one side of the body is often affected. Common sites for the rash include the chest,
back, buttocks, neck, and sometimes the face and scalp.
The rash itself is reddish, with many tiny, fluid-filled
blisters.
For a few days, the rash spreads, although its extent varies from one person to
another. The rash commonly occurs on one side of the trunk of your body as a
band of blisters that go from the middle of your back around one side of your
chest to your breastbone. The blisters break, forming small ulcers that begin
to dry and form crusts; the crusts generally fall off in 2 to 3 weeks and scarring
is rare.
From before the time the rash erupts until after
it's healed, you'll be itchy - in some cases, the rash can be extremely
painful. The rash usually lasts about 7 to 10 days and completely disappears
after one month. The pain can last for up to 3 months or longer in a small
percentage of people. While you will likely have only one bout of Herpes Zoster, some people may get it several times.
RISKS
Anyone who has ever had Chickenpox can develop Shingles. Most adults in the North America had Chickenpox
when they were children, before the advent of the routine childhood vaccination
that now protects against Chickenpox.
If
you have not had Chickenpox and you
come into contact with someone who has Shingles, ask your healthcare provider
whether you should get a Chickenpox vaccination. You should try
to avoid contact with anyone who has Shingles; the fluid from their open
blisters is infectious. You will not get Shingles, but you could get Chickenpox
if exposed.
Unlike Chickenpox, with Shingles, the
virus is NOT transmitted by someone breathing or coughing on you. You have to
come in contact with the blister fluid itself. Once the blisters scab over, the
contagious period is ended.
If you have had Chickenpox, nothing will happen to you if you are exposed
to someone who has Shingles.
Factors that may increase your
risk of developing Shingles include:
- Age: Shingles is most common in people over 50; the risk increases with age. Some experts estimate that half the people who live to the age of 85 will experience Shingles at some point in their lives.
- Diseases: Diseases that weaken your immune system, such as HIV/AIDS and Cancer, can increase your risk of Shingles.
- Cancer treatments: Undergoing Chemotherapy and/or Radiation can lower your resistance to diseases and may trigger Shingles.
- Medications: Drugs designed to prevent rejection of transplanted organs (e.g. Corticosteroids) can increase your risk of Shingles — as can prolonged use of steroids, such as Prednisone.
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 or blindness.
· Hearing loss
- Shingles in or around an ear may result in hearing
loss or deafness.
· Neurological
problems - Depending on which nerves are
affected, Shingles can cause an inflammation of the brain (Encephalitis),
facial paralysis, or hearing or balance problems. If
the virus spreads to two particular nerves in your face, then a condition
called Ramsay Hunt syndrome may develop; this can lead to temporary ear
pain, facial paralysis, and loss of hearing and taste.
· Infections - If Shingles blisters aren't properly treated,
bacterial skin infections may develop; in severe cases you can even develop
Sepsis.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Antiviral
medications (e.g., Acyclovir, Valacyclovir, and Famciclovir)
work best if started within 3 days of developing the Shingles rash. This will minimize the extent and
spread of the rash and minimize the pain associated with it. Blisters will also
crust over and heal faster. Antiviral medications may also help to reduce the
risk of developing chronic pain from Shingles.
There's
some evidence that starting treatment quickly can lower your risk of developing
PHN (severe pain along affected nerves), or at least shorten the duration of
symptoms if you do get it.
To relieve the itching and pain of shingles, you
can try:
- applying Calamine lotion to the blisters
- using cool, moist compresses
- soaking in a tub with Cornstarch or Oatmeal
Natural Treatments:
Capsaicin,
a natural compound derived from cayenne or chili pepper, can be used topically
for pain relief. It is available in ointment form as Zostrix, and can be applied four to five times daily for pain
relief. It works by blocking pain signals from nerves just under the skin, and
is very effective in reducing the pain of Herpes Zoster.
Echinacea and
Goldenseal
are both antivirals, immune- stimulating, and detoxifying, and are helpful in
the treatment of Herpes.
PREVENTION
To prevent Shingles, the first step is to avoid getting Chickenpox. If you haven't had it, make sure you don't touch the blisters of people with either Chickenpox or Shingles.
A vaccine against Chickenpox is available for both children and adults. As more children become immunized, the incidence of Chickenpox will go down and fewer people will be susceptible to developing Shingles.
There's also a Herpes Zoster vaccine available for people 60 years of age or older. The Herpes Zoster vaccine is different than the Chickenpox vaccine. Older adults who receive the Herpes Zoster vaccine are less likely to have complications from Shingles. People over 60 should receive the Herpes Zoster vaccine as part of routine medical care.
If you've already had Chickenpox, you can help prevent the virus from becoming active again and causing Shingles by keeping your immune system healthy - a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate rest can go a long way to help.
Quote: “The
secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to
worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.” Buddha
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