Recurrent Shingles

Recurrent Shingles Shingles occurs when a weakened immune system cannot keep the Varicella zoster virus, which causes Chicken Pox, dormant any longer. Approximately 25% of Americans will suffer from shingles, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Shingles typically occurs only once, but can recur a second or even rarer third time for some, and there are some differences from a single episode.

Will I Get Recurrent Shingles Often?

Doctors and other experts aren’t sure how many people suffer from recurrent shingles, but they know that it can occur more than once in those patients with weakened or compromised immune systems. Having shingles once greatly decreases your chances of getting it again and studies have shown that about 1% of people over the age of sixty who had shingles once had it recur within three years. If you are healthy, then you also have a lower chance of developing shingles again. Though with aging, your chances of a second occurrence of shingles does go up as the immune system doesn’t perform as well as before.

What Might Increase My Chances of Getting Recurrent Shingles?
Unfortunately the instance of recurrent shingles seems to be on the rise. Doctors aren’t sure why, but there are a number of factors that could be contributing to this increase due to a number of reasons and their effect on the immune system. These reasons include:

• Ageing


• Redundancy


• Poor diet and lifestyle


• Hormonal changes


• Bereavement


• Alcohol and drug abuse


• Trauma, injury, or major surgery


• Stress

How Is Recurrent Shingles Treated?
If you believe you have shingles, see your doctor right away. Early treatment can ease the severity and the duration of the disease, help avoid related problems, such as hearing or sight problems, or severe Headaches if you have shingles on the face and/or head. Your doctor will do tests to confirm a diagnosis of shingles and will then prescribe antiviral medications such as Valacyclovir, Famciclovir and Acyclovir. There are a number of options to help with pain, such as antidepressants or anti-seizure medications. If you experience itching due to the rash, you can try an oatmeal bath, calamine lotion or cool compresses.

How to Prevent Recurrent Shingles
If you have already experienced an extended episode of shingles pain that lasted more than two months, then you are at a higher risk for having a repeat episode of shingles. Women are also more likely than men to suffer from recurrent shingles, and the risk goes up for adults over the age of fifty. There are steps you can take to prevent a recurrence of shingles. These include:

• Ask your doctor about getting vaccinated. The FDA has approved the use of Zostavax, the first vaccine for shingles. It can help the body keep the virus dormant so it doesn’t recur. It has proven to be effective in stopping recurrences in people who have had shingles and for those over sixty who have received the vaccine, the instance of infection was reduced by fifty percent.


• Try vitamin supplementation. Vitamin C has shown to reduce the instance of recurrent shingles. Getting the vitamin from fresh fruits and vegetables is ideal, but an appropriate dosage of a Vitamin C supplement will also help. You can also supplement with a daily Vitamin B Complex to help keep the immune system strong and keep the disease dormant.


• Talk to your doctor about Lysine. Lysine is an amino acid which inhibits the amino acid arginine, which viruses need to secrete proteins. By inhibiting arginine the virus can’t replicate and reactivate. Lysine tablets may then be helpful in preventing a recurrence of shingles.


• Try herbal remedies. There are many herbs that can help strengthen both the immune system and the nervous system, thus helping to prevent a recurrence of shingles. Some of these herbs include Echinacea root, skullcap, and goldenseal root. Talk to your doctor about supplementing with these herbs to make sure they don’t interfere with any medications you may currently be taking.


• Keep your immune system strong. Living a healthier lifestyle and eating a healthy diet can help keep your immune system strong to keep the shingles virus dormant. Exercise, meditation, and relaxation techniques can help keep you healthy and manage stress.

Is It Possible to Get Shingles More Than Once?

Is It Possible to Get Shingles More Than Once? Also called herpes zoster, shingles is a viral infection that affects a nerve and the skin around it. The Varicella-zoster virus is responsible for this condition - the same virus causes Chickenpox. Shingles is quite common with one in every four people having it at least once in their life. You are at an increased risk of getting shingles as you get older; in fact, more than half of the cases involve people of ages 50 and older. It is thought that you are not going to get it again once you have it treated once. Is it really true? Let's find out more about it!

Can You Get Shingles Twice?
Though rare, you can get it again if you have a weakened immune system due to conditions like Lymphoma, Leukemia, or HIV. Certain medications can also suppress your immune system and increase your risk of getting shingles again.

However, it is important to note that an episode of shingles may last up to six weeks, and your immune system usually prepares itself to an extent that you do not really have to worry about getting shingles again at least for three years after the first bout. It is quite like chickenpox, but the only problem is that your resistance against shingles decreases over time. That is the reason why it is possible to get shingles again several years after you experience it for the first time.

Risk of Getting Shingles Again
There are certain risk factors putting you at a greater risk of getting shingles again. For instance:

• Post-herpetic neuralgia is a risk for getting shingles again. This refers to pain that persists for several months or even years after you no longer have the shingles rash. About 10% of people with shingles develop post-herpetic neuralgia and are at a greater risk of getting shingles again.


• Women are at a greater risk of getting shingles again; in fact, they are 60% more likely to get shingles again as compared to men.


• People who get their first episode of shingles after 50 years of age are likely to experience a repeat episode.

Can Vaccine Help Prevent Reoccurrence?
Can you get shingles twice? Yes, there are chances of getting it again; in fact, it is also possible to get it in the same place on your body. Many experts are of the view that you can take the vaccine to help prevent a second round of shingles. In fact, it is thought that you should talk to your doctor and get the shingles vaccine (Zostavax) in your 50s.

While getting the vaccine will certainly lower your risk of getting shingles again, it is not clear how effective it is going to prove. It is hard to find any data to say anything for sure. Still, it is a good idea to get the vaccine after you get shingles. However, you usually do not need to take it immediately after you have recovered from shingles because your immune system will be ready for it and stay prepared for a few years. You can get the vaccine a few years after the first episode because that is when your immunity starts to wane.

It is worth mentioning that usually it is okay to get the shingles vaccine by the time you turn 50, but many doctors suggest that you should wait until later. That is mainly because the pain is usually worse when you are old. Your doctor may recommend getting the vaccine early in case your immune system is weak or you are pregnant.

When to See a Doctor
Can you get shingles twice? Yes and it is important to see your doctor the moment you experience the first sign of shingles. Early treatment accelerates recovery and saves you from dealing with any complication. For instance, you may develop sight or hearing problems if you have shingles on your face. Early treatment can lower risk of these complications. It is also important to seek immediate treatment if your immune system is weak and you cannot get the shingles vaccine.

It is also important to note that sometimes people think they have shingles but they actually have Herpes Simplex. It is commonly thought that herpes simplex only appears as "Cold Sores" around the genitals, but that is not always the case. It can show up anywhere and requires different treatment. Your doctor may order tests to make a correct diagnosis.

How to Treat Shingles When You Get It Again
You may have to take antiviral medicines to control the pain and help accelerate recovery. Some common medicines include Valacyclovir, Acyclovir, and Famciclovir. You can also try some home remedies to relieve itching, such as the use of wet compresses, oatmeal baths, and calamine lotion.

Your doctor may prescribe an anti-seizure medicine in case you have developed post-herpetic neuralgia. Sometimes, antidepressants also help. Just keep in mind that shingles treatments prove effective when you start them early, so do not ignore any symptoms and talk to your doctor right away to shorten your recovery time.

Is Shingles Contagious?

Is Shingles Contagious?

Shingles is an extremely painful rash that has its origins in the Varicella zoster virus, also known as VZV. This is the identical virus that results in Chickenpox. Once you recover from chickenpox, the virus remains in the nerves near your spine where it lies dormant. Most people have no problem after that. In some people, however, this virus will reactivate and travel along the nerves to come out along the dermatomes of the skin. Anyone who has had the chickenpox virus is susceptible to getting shingles. So is shingles contagious like chickenpox? Let's find out.

Is Shingles Contagious?
In most cases, shingles is not contagious and can't be passed from person to person. However, the shingles virus can shed from the rash and can infect a person who has never come down with Chicken Pox or has never had the chickenpox vaccine. This person is not immune to the chickenpox virus and will develop a case of chickenpox. They won't, however, actually get shingles.

Those people at the highest risk of developing chicken pox from exposure to someone who has shingles include babies, young children, any person who hasn't been vaccinated against chickenpox. It is even possible for an unprotected pregnant woman to pass along the chickenpox virus to her fetus.

When Is Shingles Contagious (The Virus of Course) ?
In the beginning, shingles starts as burning, numbness, or tingling of the skin, usually along a dermatome on one side of the body. The rash comes on next. While the rash begins to occur and until the blisters form and crust over, the person is susceptible to shedding the virus and passing the chickenpox virus on to a susceptible person. In the prodromal stage, before the rash starts, the person is less likely to pass on the virus, although it is still possible. The virus lives in the blister fluid, so unless they have crusted over, the person is considered contagious. The period from the onset of rash to crusting over is usually between 5-7 days. This is the time of the greatest chance of contagion.

How Is the Shingles Virus Transmitted?
The shingles virus is not waterborne, airborne or sexually transmitted. This means that the varicella zoster virus can only be transmitted when a susceptible person (one who hasn't had the infection in the past nor has had the vaccination) actually comes in contact with the infected blister fluid. When the blister breaks open, the virus is shed. It also means that shingles on the face, arms and legs, where a person can't hide them under their clothing, have a greater chance of passing on the virus to another. Remember that, upon contact with the varicella zoster virus, the individual will not get shingles. Instead, they will get a total body reaction that is referred to as chickenpox.

If you have the shingles, you should take care to wash the affected area every day and keep it bound with a bandage or underneath the clothes so that the virus cannot be touched by a person who is not yet protected against the chickenpox virus.

How to Prevent Shingles
Is shingles contagious? Not if you protect yourself by preventing the virus from attacking your system by getting two possible vaccines known to protect a person against shingles:

• The chickenpox vaccine. This is a vaccine that has become a regular part of childhood immunizations and is designed to prevent chickenpox. It can be given to adults as well who have never suffered from chickenpox. The vaccine isn't a complete guarantee, but it will lessen your chance of getting chickenpox or will give you a very mild case of the disease.


• The shingles vaccination. There is a vaccine against the varicella zoster virus called Zostavax. Designed for those aged 50 and over, it doesn't guarantee you won't ever get shingles, but it will lessen the severity of the disease and will decrease your chances of getting postherpetic neuralgia, which is a Chronic Pain condition that sometimes follows a case of the shingles. It won't work against those who have a weak immune system or someone who has an active case of the shingles.

What If You Have Infected With the Shingles Virus?
If you already have a case of shingles or are developing the symptoms of shingles, since you have got a sure answer to "Is shingles contagious?" there are some precautions you need to take in order to avoid passing along the infection to someone else:

• Cover the rash with clean dressings and stay away from individuals who might come in contact with the virus.


• Never scratch the rash and try not to touch it because it can get passed through contact with infected fingernails.


• Wash your hands carefully any time you are in contact with the rash.


• Wait until the rash has crusted over before coming in contact with individuals who might catch the disease.

There is no known cure for shingles. If you have shingles, you need to wait 1-2 weeks after the first eruption of blisters has passed and until the sores have begun to crust over. The total duration of shingles is about two to six weeks. In the meantime, antiviral drugs may need to be given, such as valacyclovir and acyclovir, to lessen the severity of the disease. Some doctors use tricyclic antidepressants and pain relievers, so you feel better while suffering from the condition.

Shingles

Shingles






Shingles are caused by virus by name varicella zoster. It is the one that causes chickenpox in humans and the virus remains dormant in the nerve tissues for years which will develop causing shingles later. This disease is marked by painful rashes on the body that produces blisters on one side of the body.

Shingles are different from herpes virus that causes sexually transmitted disease. The affected person can have intense pain and discomfort even after rash has gone. There is no vaccine for preventing shingles but old age people can take a shot of zostavax for reducing the chance of getting shingles.

A person who has got chickenpox is at the risk of getting shingles later in his life. The virus remains inactive in the body for long years which will become active when the conditions are favorable.

Symptoms :

Shingles normally bothers only one side of the body with painful rashes or pus filled blisters. It would cause burning sensation on the affected part of the body and for some people there can be numbness or tingling feeling indicating nerve infection. It can cause moderate to severe itching and the pus inside the blisters will break open after some days.

Because of intense pain, shingles are sometimes mistaken for heart or kidney problem. Pain is the first sign for this disease and for some there may not be any rash at all on the skin. In addition to the above, it can cause Headache, fatigue, fever and body ache for some people.

Causes :

It is the varicella zoster virus that causes shingles. Anyone with chickenpox can develop shingles later in his life since the virus can remain dormant in the nervous tissue for years. Once it reaches the skin area crossing the nerve path it produces rashes.

Experts believe that shingles are caused due to weakened immune system after certain infections or the person grows old. The affected person carries the risk of passing the virus to others who come in close contact with him/her. The risk of spreading the disease is more during the period when the fluid from the blisters break open.

Who are at risk?

Anyone with lowered immunity like children, old age people, those affected with cancer, AIDS and other immune related disorders are prone to get shingles if they already had chickenpox in their life.

In rare cases, shingles can produce intense pain even after the disappearance of rashes. This condition is described as Postherpetic Neuralgia where the damaged nerve will send pain signals to the brain. Shingles can cause partial loss of vision when it affects the eyes.

Diagnoses :

Your doctor can easily identify shingles from the symptoms of intense pain and blisters with rashes on one side of the body. Blood test and skin culture is done for confirming the presence of virus.

Treatment :

Powerful medications are available to manage pain and to destroy virus. Acyclovir, Valtrex and Famvir are given for treating shingles. Depending on the intensity of pain the dosage of these drugs are altered. Narcotic painkillers and NSAID can also be taken for managing pain during shingles.

You can reduce the risk of spreading the infection by keeping the affected area clean. Itch control lotions and cool compression can be applied for getting relief. No cure is available for shingles but these medicines can control the symptoms very well. Some people use lidocaine for numbing the affected area to prevent the nerve from sending pain signals to the brain.

Pictures of Shingles :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Shingles

Prevention :

Chickenpox vaccine and Shingles vaccine (varicella zoster virus) can be taken to prevent this painful disease. It should be given during childhood as routine immunization schedule.

Shingles – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Contagious, Pictures

Shingles – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Contagious, Pictures

What is Shingles?

Shingles is an infection caused by a virus that triggers a very painful rash. Shingles can develop anywhere on the body but it more often develops a blister band wrapped from the middle line of the back round one side of the chest to the breastbone.

This disease is triggered by the virus known as varicella-zoster which is the exact same virus causing chickenpox in children. After an individual has chickenpox, this virus stays dormant in tissues of the nerves near the brain and spinal cord. In later years, the virus reactivates as shingles.

Although this is not a condition that is life-threatening, shingles still is extremely painful. Vaccines may aid in reducing the shingle risk, while treatment that is early may help to shorten the infection as well as lessen any complications.

Shingles Symptoms

The symptoms and signs of shingles normally affect a very small section on one side of the body. These symptoms and signs can include:

• Burning, numbness, pain or tingling


• Red rash beginning several days after pain develops


• Blisters that are fluid-filled, burst open then crust over


• Itching

Many individuals will also experience:

• Chills and fever


• General achiness


• Fatigue


• Headache

The pain is normally the symptom of shingles that is first noticed. For many, this pain can be so intense. Depending on the site of the pain, it often is incorrectly mistaken for a problem or symptom involving the lungs, kidneys or heart. Many individuals can have shingle pain without developing the customary rash.

Commonly, the rash of shingles occurs as a blister band that wraps around one side of the chest from the spine to the breastbone. Often the rash of shingles happens around 1 eye or on one side of the face or neck.

Individuals should contact their physician immediately if they suspect they have shingles but especially in the below situations:

• The rash and pain happens near the eyes. When left untreated, the infection may lead to eye damage that is permanent


• You or anyone in the family has an immunity system that is weak due to chronic illness, cancer, or certain medications.


• The rash is painful as well as widespread

Risk factors of shingles include the following:

• Had chickenpox – Any individual who has ever had a case of chickenpox has a risk of developing shingles.


• Age – Shingles is more common in individuals by the age of 50 and that risk rises with age.


• Weakened immune system – Individuals with immune systems that are weakened have a greater risk for shingles being triggered.

This weakening can be caused by:

• Cancer


• Cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation


• HIV/AIDS


• Long-term usage of steroids, for instance prednisone


• Medication developed to prevent organ rejections after a transplant

Common complications caused by shingles may range from very mild to very severe, from Postherpetic Neuralgia to skin infections that are minor:
Postherpetic neuralgia
This is when shingles pain lingers after the blisters have healed.

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Loss of Vision
Shingles developing in or near the eyes can develop infections that are very painful and can result in loss of vision.

Neurological problems
Shingles can be the source of:

• Encephalitis, brain inflammation


• Balance and hearing problems


• Paralysis of the face

Infections of the skin
If the blisters of shingles are not treated properly – skin infections can develop.

Shingles Causes

Shingles is triggered by a virus referred to as varicella-zoster – the precise virus that triggers chickenpox. Any individual who has had chickenpox can cultivate shingles. After an individual recovers from the chickenpox, this virus will enter the nervous system where it lies dormant for years. Then, it can revitalize as well as move along pathways of nerves leading to the skin – creating shingles.

It is unclear why or what triggers the reappearance of this virus. But it could be due to immunity to many infections is lowered as an individual grows older. The problem of shingles is most common in older adults and in individuals who have weakened immune systems.

The virus varicella-zoster belongs to a grouping of viruses called herpes that consists of viruses that causes Genital Herpes as well as Cold Sores. Due to this, shingles is also referred to by some people as herpes zoster. But this virus which causes shingles or chickenpox is not the same virus accountable for genital herpes or cold sores, which are sexually transmitted diseases or STDs.

Shingles Treatment

Episodes of shingles normally heals on its own in several weeks, but treatment that is prompt can comfort the pain, hasten the healing as well as reduce complications.

There are antiviral drugs that are helpful when started within 72 hours of the signs of shingles rash developing. Oral antiviral drugs include:

• Acyclovir – known as Zovirax


• Valacyclovir – known as Valtrex


• Famciclovir – known as Famvir

Shingles causes severe pain, so most individuals will need prescription drugs for pain management. They can include:

• Narcotics such as oxycodone


• Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline


• Anticonvulsants such as Neurontin


• Agents that numb the areas, for instance lidocaine – cream, spray, skin patch or gel

Contagious

Any individual with shingles may pass this varicella-zoster virus on the others who have not had chickenpox. This normally only occurs thru direct interaction with the sores that are open with the rash. When infected, the individual may develop chickenpox, but not shingles.

Chickenpox is a disease that is dangerous for several groups of individuals. A person with shingles is contagious until the shingle blisters scab over. Physical contact should be avoided with:

• Persons with weak immune systems


• Pregnant women


• Newborns

Shingles Pictures