Technically, your chance of getting shingles "started" the day you got chickenpox. You remember that itchy rash that spread from your head to your toes, as well as through your kindergarten classroom, right? That's because shingles and chickenpox are caused by the same virus, called the varicella zoster virus.
After you have chickenpox, the varicella zoster virus hides away in your body — where it can lie dormant for many, many years. When it does, it causes a different disease — called herpes zoster, or shingles," says Dr. While shingles can appear anywhere on your body, it typically affects the chest, torso, shoulder or back. So, to get shingles, you have to have first had chickenpox.
But, not everyone who's had chickenpox will get shingles. Confused yet? Here's Dr. Brown again:. Shingles can develop at any age, but it becomes more common with increasing age or as a result of other health-related factors.
Rashes are always concerning, and a lot of different things can cause them. Read on to learn more about shingles and how to prevent the spread of the varicella-zoster virus. The varicella-zoster virus can typically spread from a person with shingles to someone who has never had chickenpox.
If a person has had chickenpox , they usually have antibodies against the virus in their body. Shingles causes open, oozing blisters. This could lead to chickenpox. Once the blisters scab, they can no longer pass on the virus.
Most people have the varicella-zoster virus in their bodies. But the National Institute on Aging says that it only reactivates in around one-third of them, so only one in three people with the virus will have shingles. However, the chance of this happening increases as a person gets older. Around half of all cases occur after the age of 60 years, and the risk increases significantly from 70 onward.
Early shingles symptoms can include:. The most noticeable symptoms are blisters and pain. The outward symptoms of shingles look a lot like a case of chickenpox. Both diseases cause raised blisters that open, ooze fluid, and crust over. But unlike the chickenpox rash, which can occur on different parts of your body, shingles usually affects one area of your body. Shingles blisters are most prevalent on your torso, where they wrap around your waist on one side of your body.
The shingles rash may also appear on one side of your face. If this happens, contact a doctor immediately. Shingles travels along a nerve path, causing pain and strange sensations. Itching and sensitivity to touch are also symptoms of shingles. Shingles pain varies in severity. It can be difficult to treat with over-the-counter pain medications. Your doctor might prescribe antidepressants or steroids. These two types of drugs can successfully relieve nerve pain in some people.
A shingles outbreak usually lasts 3 to 5 weeks. Most people experience pain and discomfort for a short period and then make a full recovery. People usually only have one episode of shingles in their lifetime. Shingles outbreaks are temporary, but they can have some lasting effects on your health and well-being. Stay off work or school if the rash is still oozing fluid weeping and cannot be covered, or until the rash has dried out.
You can only spread the infection to other people while the rash oozes fluid. If you're pregnant and get shingles, there's no danger to your pregnancy or baby. But you should be referred to a specialist, as you may need antiviral treatment. But you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before.
When people get chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. It can be reactivated later and cause shingles if someone's immune system is lowered. This can be because of stress, certain conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy.
Any part of your body can be affected, including your face and eyes, but the chest and abdomen tummy are the most common areas. Adults 18 years and over with symptoms of shingles can get advice and treatment directly from a pharmacy.
If the pharmacist cannot treat you they may recommend you see your GP. Find your local pharmacy on Scotland's Service directory. In most cases your pharmacist should be able to provide treatment, however they may recommend that you need to contact your GP practice for treatment if required. You should see your GP if you are under 18 years old, pregnant or have a weakened immune system the body's natural defence system and you think you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles and haven't had chickenpox before.
Early treatment may help reduce the severity of your symptoms and the risk of developing complications. It's uncommon for someone with shingles to be referred to hospital, but your GP may consider seeking specialist advice if:. Most people have chickenpox in childhood, but after the illness has gone, the varicella-zoster virus remains dormant inactive in the nervous system. The immune system keeps the virus in check, but later in life it can be reactivated and cause shingles.
It's not known exactly why the shingles virus is reactivated at a later stage in life, but most cases are thought to be caused by having lowered immunity protection against infections and diseases. It's not possible to catch shingles from someone with the condition or from someone with chickenpox.
However, you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you haven't had chickenpox before. The blisters that form contain live virus. If a person who has never had chickenpox makes direct contact with an open blister or something with the fluid on it, they can contract the virus and develop chickenpox.
If you have shingles, you're contagious until the last blister has dried and scabbed over. To help prevent the virus being passed on, avoid sharing towels or flannels, swimming, or playing contact sports. You should also avoid work or school if your rash is weeping oozing fluid and can't be covered. Chickenpox can be particularly dangerous for certain groups of people.
If you have shingles, avoid:. Although there's no cure for shingles, treatment is available to relieve the symptoms until the condition resolves. Most cases of shingles last around two to four weeks. Read more about treating shingles. Shingles can sometimes lead to complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia. This is where severe nerve pain lasts for several months or more after the rash has gone. Complications such as this are usually in elderly people who have had the condition and those with a weakened immune system.
Read more about the complications of shingles. It's not always possible to prevent shingles, but a vaccine called Zostavax can reduce your chances of developing the condition. If you still develop shingles after having this vaccine, it may be milder and last for a shorter time than usual.
Read more about shingles vaccination. This vaccine's now routinely offered in Scotland as a single injection to people aged Some cases of shingles can affect one of the eyes and are known as ophthalmic shingles. This occurs when the virus is reactivated in part of the trigeminal nerve, a nerve that controls sensation and movement in your face. An episode of shingles typically lasts around two to four weeks.
The main symptoms are pain, followed by a rash. Any part of your body can be affected, including your face and eyes, although the chest and abdomen tummy are the most common areas where shingles develops. In some cases, shingles may cause some early prodromal symptoms that develop a few days before the painful rash first appears. Not everyone will experience these prodromal symptoms.
A high temperature is particularly uncommon. Eventually, most people with shingles experience a localised "band" of pain in the affected area. The pain can be a constant, dull or burning sensation and its intensity can vary from mild to severe. Pain is less common in young healthy people and is rare in children. It usually starts a few days before the rash appears and can remain for a few days or weeks after the rash has healed.
The shingles rash usually appears on one side of your body and develops on the area of skin related to the affected nerve.
Initially, the shingles rash appears as red blotches on your skin before developing into itchy blisters similar in appearance to chickenpox. Scabs then form where the blisters were, which may leave some slight scarring. It usually takes two to four weeks for the rash to heal completely. Shingles is not usually serious, but you should see your GP as soon as possible if you recognise the symptoms. You should also see your GP if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system the body's natural defence system and you think you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles and haven't had chickenpox before.
Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which is the virus that causes chickenpox. After you have had chickenpox , the varicella-zoster virus lies dormant inactive inside your body. It can become reactivated at a later stage and cause shingles.
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