Shingles

~ shingles in a skin rash caused by the virus that also causes chicken pox .
~ also called herpes zoster .
~ the virus is called varicella zoster .
~it belongs to herpes group .
~ shingles usually occurs years after getting chickenpox .
~ once you have had chickenpox , you are immune to get chickenpox again .
~ but the varicella virus may still remain in the body's nervous system - in particular , the nerves .
~ when the body's immune system is suppressed the virus can then be reactivated and cause shingles .
~and once you have suffered from shingles , you are more likely to get it again . ( recurrence )
~ commonly occur in people above age 60 .
~ shingles is contagious . it spread it to another person who has not had chickenpox . they catch chickenpox instead , and not shingles .
~ chickenpox - the rash appears over the body .
~ shingles - rash appear only in one patch of the skin .
~ before rash appears , you may feel a burning pain on a patch of the skin and it may become very sensitive .( go on for several days or up to a week ) during this time , you are actually not sure what you are getting .
~ then small blisters on a red patch begin to appear .
~ new blisters come up . ( 3 - 5 days )
~ the patch of skin involved is the patch serviced by a particular nerve , the same nerve that hosts the varicella virus that has lain dormant all these years in the body .
~ shingles is likely to affect the nerves of the body that service the patches / bands of skin on your trunk or back .
~ these bands are called dermatomes , so the blisters will only appear on the dermatome .
~ usually only one dermatome is involved .
~ like chickenpox , the blisters itch , pop , ooze out liquid , and then crust over as healing begin .
~ this whole process may last up to 4 weeks .
~ there is one variant of shingles where pain is present , but the blisters never appear .
~ usually no complications ( depend on where the shingles is affecting you )
~ when scratch too much and bleed , blisters can get infected with bacteria , then you can have cellulitis .
~ if shingles affect your face , particularly in the region of your forehead and nose , ( a dermatome serviced by fifth cranial nerve ) , eye can be affected .
~ antiviral medication for shingles ( Acyclovir ) should be taken early . ( within three days of the first appearance of the rash .)