Shingles Explained and How To Cure It

 

What is shingles?

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a common infection of the nerves. It is caused by a virus. Shingles triggers a painful rash or small blisters on an area of skin. It can appear anywhere on the body, but it typically appears on only one side of the face or body. Burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching are early signs of the infection. Even after the rash is gone, the pain can continue for months, even years.

How to cure shingles - 
and avoid its painful after-effects.

What causes shingles?

Shingles is caused when the chickenpox virus is reactivated. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves for many years. Shingles is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of 50.

What are the symptoms of shingles?

However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• Skin sensitivity, tingling, itching, and/or pain in the area of the skin before the rash appears
• Rash, which typically appears after 1 to 5 days once symptoms begin and initially looks like small, red spots that turn into blisters
• Blisters typically scab over in 7 to 10 days and clear up within 2 to 4 weeks 

Other early symptoms of shingles may include:

• Stomach upset
• Feeling ill
• Fever and/or chills
• Headache

The symptoms of shingles may look like other medical conditions or problems. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

How to cure shingles -
and avoid its painful after-effects.

How is shingles diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will do a complete physical exam and ask about your medical history, specifically about whether you have ever had chickenpox.

Your healthcare provider will likely know right away that it is shingles based on the unique rash. The rash usually appears one area on one side of the body or face. It appears as red spots, small fluid- or pus-filled vesicles, or scabs.

The healthcare provider may also take skin scrapings for testing.

How is shingles treated?

Specific treatment for shingles will be determined by your healthcare provider based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history
• How long the shingles have been present (some medicines are not as effective if given more than 2 to 3 days after the rash has appeared)
• Extent of the condition
• Your tolerance for specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the condition
• Your opinion or preference

There is no cure for shingles. It simply has to run its course. Treatment focuses on pain relief. Painkillers may help relieve some of the pain. Antiviral drugs may help lessen some of the symptoms and reduce nerve damage. Other treatments may include:

• Creams or lotions to help relieve itching
• Cool compresses applied to affected skin areas
• Antiviral medicines (such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir)
• Steroids
• Antidepressants
• Anticonvulsants

What are the complications of shingles?

Symptoms of shingles usually don’t last longer than 3 to 5 weeks. However, complications can happen. The main complications that can result from shingles include:

• Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). The most common complication of shingles is called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). This continuous, chronic pain lasts even after the skin lesions have healed. The pain may be severe in the area where the blisters were present. The affected skin may be very sensitive to heat and cold.
  If you had severe pain during the active rash or have impaired senses, you are at increased risk for PHN. The elderly are also at greater risk. Early treatment of shingles may prevent PHN. Pain relievers and steroid treatment may be used to treat the pain and inflammation. Other treatments include antiviral drugs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and topical agents.
• Bacterial infection. A bacterial infection of the skin where the rash happens is another complication. Rarely, infections can lead to more problems, such as tissue death and scarring. When an infection happens near or on the eyes, a corneal infection can happen. This can lead to temporary or permanent blindness.

How to cure shingles - 
and avoid its painful after-effects.

Can shingles be prevented?

Two different vaccines are available to prevent shingles. Experts recommend vaccination for all adults 50 and older, even if you've had shingles before. Talk with your healthcare provider about the most appropriate time for you to get vaccinated, and which vaccine is best for you. 

When should I call my healthcare provider?

To reduce the severity and shorten the length of the illness, treatment must be started as soon as possible. If you think you have shingles, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Key points about shingles

• Shingles is a common viral infection of the nerves. It causes a painful rash or small blisters on an area of skin.
• Shingles is caused when the chickenpox virus is reactivated.
• It is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of 50.
• Shingles starts with skin sensitivity, tingling, itching, and/or pain followed by rash that looks like small, red spots that turn into blisters.
• The rash is typically affects just one area on one side of the body or face.
• Treatment that is started as soon as possible helps reduce the severity of the disease.

What is shingles and how to treat it!

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, occurs when the dormant chickenpox virus, varicella zoster, is reactivated in your nerve tissue. Early signs of shingles can include tingling and localized pain.

Most, but not all, people with shingles develop a blistering rash. You may also experience itching, burning, or deep pain.

Typically, the shingles rash lasts 2 to 4 weeksTrusted Source, and most people make a complete recovery. Doctors are often able to quickly diagnose shingles from the appearance of the skin rash.

…Shingles pain & itching doesn’t have to be so bad & last for 6 weeks.  Click the link to see why…

First symptoms

Prior to the rash starting, you may developTrusted Source a burning sensation, itchiness, or tingling on one side of the body, often on the trunk. You may also develop:

• a headache
• sensitivity to light
• general fatigue

When the rash starts, you may notice pink or red blotchy patches on one side of your body. These patches cluster along nerve pathways. Some people report feeling shooting pain in the area of the rash.   During this initial stage, shingles is not contagious.

Shingles blisters

The rash quickly develops fluid-filled blisters like chickenpox. They may be accompanied by itching. New blisters continue to develop for several days. In most casesTrusted Source, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), blisters appear over a localized area, but widespread blistering is possible.

Blisters are most common on the torso and face, but they can occur elsewhere. In rare cases, the rash appears on the lower body. Some possibly may not develop a rash at all.

It’s not possible to transmit the shingles virus to someone. However, if you’ve never had chickenpox or the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, it’s possible to get chickenpox from someone with shingles through direct contact with active blisters since the same virus causes both shingles and chickenpox.

Once a rash starts, it’s important to consult with your doctor within 3 days, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). In the first 3 days, they can prescribe an antiviral, which can help speed up recovery and reduce symptom severity.

Blisters sometimes erupt and ooze. They may then turn slightly yellow and begin to flatten. As they dry out, scabs form. Each blister can take 7 to 10 daysTrusted Source to crust over, per the National Institute on Aging.

During this stage, your pain may ease a little, but it can continue for months, or in some cases, years.  Once all blisters have completely crusted over, there is a low risk of transmitting the virus.

…Shingles pain & itching doesn’t have to be so bad & last for 6 weeks.  Click the link to see why… 

The shingles “belt”

Shingles often appears around the rib cage or waist, and may look like a “belt” or “half belt.” You might also hear this formation referred to as a “shingles band” or a “shingles girdle.”

This classic presentation is easily recognizable as shingles. The belt can cover a wide area on one side of your midsection. Its location can make tight clothing particularly uncomfortable.

Ophthalmic shingles, also known as herpes zoster ophthalmicus, occurs around the eye. Often, it starts out as a burning or tingling sensation on the scalp, cheeks, or forehead.

Like when shingles appears on other areas of the body, the tingling sensation can turn into an itchy, painful rash on the scalp, forehead, or cheeks.

If shingles affects the eyes, it can cause symptoms such as redness and swelling of the eye, inflammation of your cornea or iris, and drooping eyelid. Ophthalmic shingles can also cause:

• mild to severe vision loss
• discharge from the eye
• feeling that a foreign body is in the eye
• light sensitivity

 

According to the CDCTrusted Source, though less common, people who develop shingles may develop a rash that crosses multiple dermatomes. Dermatomes are separate skin areas that are supplied by separate spinal nerves.

When the rash affects three or more dermatomes, it is called “disseminated or widespread zoster.” In these cases, the rash may look more like chickenpox than shingles. You are more likely to develop widespread shingles if you have a weakened immune system.

Infection

A secondary bacterial infection is a possible complicationTrusted Source of shingles.  Open sores of any kind are always susceptible to bacterial infection. To lower the possibility of a secondary infection, keep the area clean and avoid scratching.

Severe infection can lead to permanent scarring of the skin. Report any sign of infection to your doctor immediately. Early treatment can help prevent it from spreading. People with weakened immune systems have a higher chanceTrusted Source of developing infections or other complications.

How long does shingles last

Most people can expect the rash to heal within 2 to 4 weeksTrusted Source. Although some people may be left with minor scars, most will make a complete recovery with no visible scarring.

In some cases, pain along the site of the rash can continue for several months or longer. This is known as postherpetic neuralgia.

You may have heard that once you get shingles, you can’t get it again. However, the CDCTrusted Source cautions that shingles can return multiple times in some people.

What causes shingles?

The varicella-zoster virus causes shingles to occur. If you had chickenpox as a child or got the chickenpox vaccine, you can develop shingles at some point within your life. However, you have a lower risk of developing shingles if you had the vaccine.

The exact reason why the virus resurfaces is still not fully understood. However, as you age and your defense against the virus decreases, you may become more susceptible. The risk of developing shingles and complications increases drastically at 50 years old.

…Shingles pain & itching doesn’t have to be so bad & last for 6 weeks.  Click the link to see why…

Who’s at risk for shingles

According to the CDCTrusted Source, about 1 in 3 adults will develop shingles at least once in their lifetime. Several factors, including age, can increase your risk of developing shingles at least once in your lifetime.

Possible risk factors include:

• being age 50 years or older
• living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• being a bone marrow or solid organ transplant recipient
• taking immunosuppressive medications, such as chemotherapy, steroids, or those related to transplants
• living with cancer, particularly leukemia and lymphoma

 

The CDC notes that other factors may play a part in who develops shingles, but more research is needed to further explain, better understand, and confirm these factors. According to research:

• There’s a higher prevalence of shingles diagnoses in white people compared with Black people.
• People who are assigned female at birth may be more likely to develop shingles than people who are assigned male at birth.

Differentiating between shingles and other types of rashes

Most doctors can visually examine and diagnoseTrusted Source shingles based on the rash and other symptoms. In most cases, the rash:

• appears a few days after other symptoms, such as tingling sensation, start
• develops only on one side of the body
• often occurs around the trunk
• appears only in one or two areas
• develops a blistering effect that lasts about 2 to 4 weeks

What can you do to avoid stress?

Reducing or eliminating stress from your life may not guarantee that you won’t get shingles, but it will make you healthier. Experimenting with different techniques for stress can help you find what works for you. Try these techniques to reduce stress:

• Identify and avoid the things that trigger your stress. Consider keeping a journal of your moods and possible triggers.
• Wind down before sleep. Reading a book, turning off the computer, and creating a bedtime routine may help.
• Turn mealtimes into social rituals with people you like, complete with conversation, soft music, and healthy, well-prepared food.
• Spend time with your pet or someone else’s pet if you like animals.
• Turn off your phone.
• Spend time in nature or taking quiet walks in peaceful surroundings.
• Practice meditation.
• Try yoga.
• Join a support group.
• Practice deep breathing exercises.

 

You can also add regular exercise into your daily routine. Walking, riding a bicycle, or going for a hike are examples of exercises that you may be able to incorporate into your routine.

…Shingles pain & itching doesn’t have to be so bad & last for 6 weeks.  Click the link to see why…