Shingles

Shingles is a skin condition that causes a painful rash. This rash often appears as a line of blisters that circles around either the left or right side of your torso. It can show up on any part of your body.

Shingles is caused by a virus called varicella-zoster. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once you've had chickenpox, this virus stays in your body. Sometimes, many years later, this virus wakes up again, causing shingles.

Shingles isn't usually deadly. However, it can be very uncomfortable and painful. There are vaccines that can help protect you from getting shingles. If you do get shingles, early treatment can help the infection clear up faster and make it less likely you'll have long-term problems.

A common problem after shingles is called postherpetic neuralgia. This means you continue to have pain in the area where you had the shingles rash, even after the blisters are gone. This pain can last for a long time.

Shingles typically affects a limited area on one side of your body. This usually starts with noticeable symptoms:

• Pain, burning, or tingling: This often feels like a prickling or sharp discomfort.
• Sensitivity to touch: The area affected might feel abnormally tender or painful to the touch.
• A red rash: A few days after the pain begins, a red, flat rash appears.
• Fluid-filled blisters: These blisters are filled with a clear fluid and can become quite noticeable. They will eventually break open and form a crust.
• Itching: The rash and blisters may cause an irritating itch.

Some people also experience additional symptoms, which can vary:

• Fever: A general feeling of illness with a higher body temperature.
• Headache: A painful sensation in the head.
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia): Bright light can feel uncomfortable or painful.
• Fatigue: Feeling unusually tired and drained.

The most common first sign of shingles is pain. For some people, this pain is severe and can be easily mistaken for other health problems, like heart, lung, or kidney issues. Importantly, some people with shingles never develop a rash; the pain is their only noticeable symptom.

The rash from shingles commonly appears as a band of blisters that wraps around one side of the chest or abdomen. Less frequently, the rash might develop around one eye, on one side of the neck, or on one side of the face.

See a doctor right away if you think you might have shingles. Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same one that causes chickenpox. It's important to get treatment quickly, especially if:

• The rash is near your eye: Shingles around the eye can cause serious problems. If not treated promptly, it can lead to permanent vision loss. This is a critical situation that needs immediate medical attention.
• You're 50 or older: As people get older, their bodies may not fight off infections as well as they did when younger. This means shingles could cause more serious complications for older adults.
• You have a weakened immune system: If you have a weakened immune system, your body might not be able to fight the shingles virus as effectively. This can happen due to several factors, including cancer treatment, certain medications, or having a chronic illness like HIV or diabetes. A weakened immune system makes you more vulnerable to complications from shingles.
• The rash is very widespread or extremely painful: If the rash covers a large area of your body or causes intense pain, it could signal a more severe infection. In these cases, prompt treatment is essential to prevent further complications.

Getting prompt medical care for shingles is important to help prevent possible eye damage, other health problems, and to make you feel better sooner.

Shingles is a painful skin rash caused by the same virus that gives you chickenpox. This virus, called varicella-zoster, is a type of herpes virus, related to the viruses that cause cold sores and genital herpes. However, the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles is different from the ones that cause cold sores or genital herpes.

After you have chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus hides in your nervous system. It stays there, inactive, for a long time. Sometimes, the virus wakes up (reactivates) and travels along the nerves to the skin. This trip causes the characteristic painful rash of shingles.

Not everyone who's had chickenpox gets shingles. It's more common in older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Scientists aren't entirely sure why some people get shingles and others don't. One likely reason is that as we get older, our immune systems might not fight off infections as well as they used to. Having a weakened immune system, for example due to illness or certain medications, also increases the risk.

In short, shingles is a reactivation of a virus that once caused chickenpox. It's not related to the viruses that cause cold sores or genital herpes, though they're all in the herpes virus family.

Shingles, a painful skin rash, can affect anyone who's had chickenpox. Many adults in the US had chickenpox as children, before a vaccine became common. This means a lot of people are now at risk of developing shingles later in life.

Several things can increase your chances of getting shingles:

• Your age: Getting older raises your risk. Shingles usually develops in people over 50, and those over 60 are more likely to have more serious problems from it. This is because our immune systems often weaken as we age.

• Health conditions: Conditions that make your immune system weaker, like HIV/AIDS and cancer, can make you more susceptible to shingles. Your body's ability to fight off infections is lessened, increasing the chance of shingles developing.

• Medical treatments: Treatments like radiation or chemotherapy for cancer can also weaken your immune system, increasing your risk of shingles. These treatments directly target rapidly dividing cells, which can also include cells important for your immune system function.

• Certain medications: Medicines that prevent organ transplant rejection can raise your risk. These drugs suppress your immune system to prevent your body from rejecting the new organ. Long-term use of steroids, such as prednisone, can also increase your risk. Steroids are often used to reduce inflammation, but they also have an effect on the immune system.

Shingles, a painful skin rash, can sometimes lead to problems beyond the initial infection. These complications can include:

• Persistent pain (postherpetic neuralgia): After the characteristic rash and blisters of shingles go away, some people experience ongoing pain. This happens because the damaged nerve fibers in the affected area send confusing and exaggerated pain signals to the brain. This ongoing pain can be very intense and difficult to manage.

• Eye problems (ophthalmic shingles): If shingles affects the area around your eye (ophthalmic shingles), it can lead to painful eye infections. These infections can sometimes result in vision loss. Prompt medical attention is crucial in these cases.

• Brain or nervous system issues: In rare cases, shingles can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). It can also lead to facial paralysis (loss of movement on one side of the face), or problems with hearing or balance. These are serious complications, and prompt medical care is important.

• Skin infections: If the shingles blisters aren't properly cleaned and cared for, bacteria can infect the affected skin. This can lead to additional pain and complications. Proper hygiene and following your doctor's instructions are key to preventing these skin infections.

The Shingrix vaccine can help protect people from shingles. Available in the US since 2017, it's a newer and recommended option than the older Zostavax vaccine, which is no longer offered here. Other countries might still use Zostavax.

The Shingrix vaccine is recommended for anyone 50 years of age or older, regardless of whether they've had shingles before. It's also appropriate for people who have already had the Zostavax vaccine, or those unsure if they've had chickenpox in the past. Importantly, people aged 19 and older with weakened immune systems, due to illness or medication, should also consider the vaccine.

Shingrix is a safe and effective vaccine made from a part of the chickenpox virus. It's given in two shots, spaced 2 to 6 months apart. The most common side effects are soreness, redness, and swelling at the injection site. Some people also experience tiredness, headaches, or other minor reactions.

While the Shingrix vaccine won't completely prevent shingles, it can significantly reduce how bad the illness is and how long it lasts. It also likely decreases your risk of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a painful condition that can develop after shingles. Studies show Shingrix offers protection for more than five years.

If you're thinking about getting the Shingrix vaccine, it's crucial to talk to your doctor first. This is especially important if you:

• Have had an allergic reaction to any vaccine component
• Have a weakened immune system due to an illness or medication
• Have had a stem cell transplant
• Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant

The shingles vaccine is only for preventing shingles. It cannot cure someone who already has the disease.

Doctors typically diagnose shingles by looking for a painful rash or blisters on one side of the body. They'll ask about your symptoms, like the location and timing of the pain. Sometimes, to be extra sure, a small sample of fluid from the blisters might be sent to a lab for testing. This helps confirm the diagnosis.

Shingles, a painful skin rash, doesn't have a cure. However, starting treatment with antiviral medicines soon after the rash appears can help the healing process and reduce the chances of problems. These antiviral medicines include acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir, and valacyclovir (Valtrex). These medications work by fighting the virus that causes shingles.

Because shingles can cause intense pain, your doctor might also recommend other medicines to help manage it. These could include:

• Capsaicin topical patches: These patches contain capsaicin, a substance that can reduce pain by desensitizing nerve endings. (Examples include the Qutenza patch).
• Anticonvulsants: These medications, such as gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant), are often used to treat seizures but can also help with nerve pain.
• Tricyclic antidepressants: Some antidepressants, like amitriptyline, can also help with nerve pain.
• Numbing agents: These come in various forms, like creams, gels, sprays, or skin patches, containing lidocaine. These help numb the affected area, reducing discomfort.
• Corticosteroid injections: In some cases, your doctor might inject a corticosteroid directly into the affected area along with a local anesthetic. Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory medications.

It's important to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the possible benefits and side effects of any medication prescribed for shingles.

Shingles typically lasts for 2 to 6 weeks. Most people have shingles only once, but it's possible to get it again.

Soothe your blisters with cool water. A cool bath or applying cool, wet cloths to the affected area can help reduce the itching and discomfort. Also, if you can, try to find ways to lessen stress in your life. Stress can sometimes make problems like blisters worse.