What is Shingles Disease?

Most of us have probably heard of what shingles disease is. The many different pieces of information about shingles disease however can sometimes be confusing. What are the real facts about shingles disease?

Cause of Shingles

Shingles disease is caused by the virus varicella zoster which is also the cause of chicken pox. This is the reason why some people refer to shingles as the sister disease of chicken pox. Medically, shingles disease is known as herpes zoster. One gets shingles only if one has been infected with chicken pox before. Even if one heals of chicken pox, the virus may stay hidden and dormant near the spinal cord. When it becomes triggered in the future, it will reactivate as shingles.

Contagious Disease

Those who say that shingles disease is not contagious simply mean that it is not possible to pass shingles to someone else. On the other hand, it is possible to pass the virus through direct contact with blisters to someone who has never had chicken pox. Once the virus is transmitted, the infected person will get chicken pox and not shingles.

Symptoms

Shingles disease can cause a great deal of discomfort. People who have it complain of intense pain that gets worse with the appearance of rashes that transform into fluid filled blisters. People with shingles may also experience feeling like they have flu. The disease is therefore usually accompanied by fever, chills, headache and upset stomach.

Who Gets It

Anyone who has had chicken pox before and has a poor immune system can suffer from a reactivation of the varicella virus. This is why some elderly individuals get shingles. People above 50 or 60 usually experience a natural decline in the functions of the immune system. Aside from the elderly, those who are severely sick or immunocompromised are also natural candidates because of the poor condition of their immune systems. There is now some evidence that people who are overexposed to extreme stress may also be at risk of getting shingles disease. This is because stress can negatively affect the immune system.

Complications

If properly and promptly treated, complications are rare and unlikely. Some patients however have been known to suffer from post herpetic neuralgia after having shingles disease. This is a condition that is marked by chronic pain that can go on for years after shingles has been treated. Other critical complications include possible paralysis and encephalitis. If the shingles blisters appear on the face, a person is also at risk of becoming blind or hearing impaired if not immediately treated.

Treatment

Early medical treatment is encouraged to reduce the pain and to increase the speed of healing. Doctors may prescribe antiviral medication or corticosteroids. At home, typical oral pain relievers and topical antibiotics may be used.

Prevention

One step to try and prevent shingles disease is to get the right vaccination for chicken pox. Adults over 60 can now also be immunized against shingles. In some instances though, even those who have been vaccinated may still get chicken pox or shingles. It is however believed that the diseases will be less severe if one has been vaccinated.