Shingles

__**Shingles**__ = = __What Are Shingles?__ Shingles are a painful rash. They are also known as " Herpes Zoster. " They are caused by the varicella- zoster virus, which also causes chicken pox. The varicella-zoster virus, which causes nerve and skin inflammation, remains in your nerves after you have chicken pox, but can become active again in later years and cause shingles. Anyone that has had chicken pox has a chance of getting shingles, as you can get them at any age, but they are more likely to appear if you're older than 60 and if your immune system has been weakened by disease or medication.

__Effects of Shingles__ Often with shingles, you will get a rash, usually in the shape of a stripe on one side of your body, from your spine to your chest or stomach. Before the rash starts, usually you will have pain on your body where the rash will appear. Some symptoms of shingles are having one sided pain, burning, red patches on the skin, blisters, fever, abdominal pain, and swollen glands. The area where you have the rash can also get very sensitive, and even clothes touching your skin can be really painful. There are many complications that could come with having shingles. They can cause bacterial skin infections, hearing loss, scarring, infections, blindness (if the shingles are in your eyes), pain from the shingles can last for months, and if the virus attacks the nerves that control movement, you could become temporarily or even permanently weakened or paralyzed.



__Treatment and Prevention of Shingles__ Once you have shingles, you can be prescribed medicine from the doctor that fights the virus. The drugs you are prescribed can help reduce pain and the severity of the disease, and can shorten the length of the disease. It is best if you start taking the medication 24 hours before the pain is felt and before blisters occur. Usually you will be given pills, but sometimes people need to receive the medication in a vein, using an IV. There is medicine that can be given that reduces swelling, pain and itching. Once you have shingles, you can use wet, cool compresses for the pain to go down. Also, you need to make sure that your skin is kept very clean and that any contaminated items are thrown away. You need to make sure that you get lots of rest so the fever goes down and you should stay away from others, so they dont also get infected. Shingles can be prevented by avoiding the rash and blisters that someone has, or by getting the herpes zoster vaccine, which is different from the chicken pox vaccine and is made specifically for shingles. It is suggested that people aged 60 and older get the herpes zoster vaccine as the effects of shingles get worse as you get older.



__How are Shingles Transmitted?__ Shingles can not be spread from one person to another. The virus remains in your nerve cells after you have had chicken pox and can reactivate when you are stressed and your immune system is weakened. Although you cannot spread shingles, the virus that causes shingles can be spread and cause someone who has never had chickenpox or the vaccine to get chickenpox. The virus is spread through contact with the fluid from the blisters. Once you have had shingles though, there is a chance that you can get them again.



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