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Disease Symptom Tips :: Shingles Disease
Shingles Disease: Understanding Shingles Symptoms and Disease
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Shingles disease is often known as Zoster or Herpes zoster. It's a condition in which painful blisters occur and develop on the skin. It's caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox.
This virus is the “varicella zoster virus” or VZV. If you've had chicken pox as a child, then you are at a higher risk for developing shingles later in life.
Basically, when a person contracts the chicken pox, a small amount of the VZ virus will remain in their body. Then, once the patient's immune system is weakened either by aging, stress or an immune system deficiency, the disease may return. The disease then attacks the nervous system.
To learn more about Shingles disease, including information on its symptoms and how to prevent spread of the disease, keep reading.
Symptoms of Shingles
Common symptoms associated with Shingles includes a fever that generally lasts for about four to five days. This may be accompanied by a headache. Patients will also experience a marked decline in their energy levels and possible digestive problems.
Patients may also experience chills alongside aches and pains. Other than the itching and the rash and blisters that will eventually develop, the symptoms are very similar to the flu.
Eventually, the patient will develop small and painful blisters on their skin. These will usually from the spine to the chest and are the most common and visible symptom of the disease.
Why It's Important to Treat Shingles
If left untreated, Shingles may lead to more severe conditions like loss of eyesight, pneumonia, organ malfunctioning, hearing problems, and issues with the nervous system.
People at Risk for Developing Shingles
The people who have the highest risk levels for developing Shingles are those who had chickenpox as children. Primarily, the disease affects those over the age of 50 and is especially prevalent in persons suffering from any other condition that damages the immune system (like AIDS or cancer). Also, anyone taking immunosuppressive drugs.
Tips for Living With and Treating Shingles
Because Shingles can be contagious after the first blisters develop and until the blisters crust over, patients should be very careful about covering their blisters as a way of preventing the disease from spreading. They should also wash their own clothes, separate from the family laundry.
Another tip to alleviating the pain and discomfort associated with Shingles disease is to avoid exposure to direct sunlight and try to stay in a cool, dry room as much as possible. Also, avoid scratching the rash. Finally, the best thing you can do is to strictly follow the regimen assigned to you by your doctor.
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DiseaseSymptomTips.com :: Shingles Disease