Shingles

Reactivation of the herpes zoster virus is commonly known as shingles. Herpes zoster virus is also the main reason behind childhood illness chickenpox. It has been noticed that the chickenpox virus makes its presence felt in a dormant state in the body in root of nerves that are responsible for controlling sensation.

In terms of statistics, in about 2 out of 10 people, the virus comes back again plenty of years after the chickenpox infection. Once the virus recurs, it moves along a sensory nerve into the skin leading to painful rashes known as shingles.

Interestingly, a large number of people suffering with shingles remain healthy. There is no need of any test to check the condition of their immune system.

Causes

The main reason behind shingles has not yet been discovered. However, according to some studies, stress, fatigue and weakened immune system play an important role in causing shingles.

Symptoms of Shingles

 Depending on the nerves involved, shingles can have an impact on various parts of the body.

• There is extreme sensation on one portion of the body. It is worth pointing that this sensation can be in the form of tingling, itching, shooting or burning.
• A rash with blisters and red bumps will appear on the skin, few days after the pain begins.
• These rashes fill with pus and often develop scabs by two weeks. As the scabs fall off in 15-20 days, the rashes will disappear.

Getting Medical Care for Shingles

If you suffer from any of the above mentioned symptoms of shingles, it is of paramount importance that you take help from your healthcare provider. Getting medical attention in early stages can help immensely in treating shingles. Normally, antiviral drugs are used for treatment of shingles but they will only be effective if you take them early.

In case the rash with blisters is near your eyes, proper consultation with your healthcare provider is an absolute must. This is because of the simple reason that virus may have an impact on your eyes causing vision loss and eye damage.

Immediately go to a hospital if you are suffering from shingles and have high fever too. It also applies if the blisters start spreading on other parts of your body.

Tests

• Most of the healthcare providers make use of viral cultures or special antibody tests when diagnosing shingles
• DFA (direct fluorescent antibody) is one of those special antibody tests. The best part about DFA is that you get the outcome in matter of few hours. The same cannot be said for viral cultures that often take more than 10 days to yield results.
• Skin biopsy is also an effective method for diagnosing shingles.

Tips for Dealing with Shingles

If you are suffering from shingles, do not scratch the rashes as this can increase the risk of secondary bacterial infection. You can get some relief from itching with help of antihistamines. Last but surely not the least, it is recommended that you keep the area of shingles clean with water.