Can Shingles Cause Shortness Of Breath

Side Effects Requiring Immediate Medical Attention

Along with its needed effects, apixaban may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking apixaban:

Rare

Applies to apixaban: oral tablet

Is There A Treatment For Shingles

While there is no cure for shingles, there are treatments out there that can be done at home or prescribed by your doctor to speed up recovery and ease symptoms.

“If your skin is very itchy in places, you can try using cool or wet compresses to ease the itch,” suggests Dr. Wild. “You can also take paracetamol if you have any pain or a fever.”

Dr. Wild also suggests wearing smooth, cotton fabrics as they are less likely to irritate your skin, and to keep your rash clean and dry so you reduce the risk of infection.

How To Treat Shingles

“Early identification is key,” says Dr. Chang. “Recognizing shingles within the first 48 hours after you see the rash is important because that’s when medication for treatment is most effective.”

Antiviral medicines like acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir are used to treat shingles, says the CDC. Dosing may vary, but people typically take these medicines for at least seven days. Over-the-counter pain medications, like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, can help ease your discomfort, says the American Academy of Dermatology , and if the pain severe, your doctor may medicine to reduce the inflammation, such as a corticosteroid.

“Shingles is not life-threatening,” says Dr. Chang. “The reason why it can be a problem is that it can cause a lot of nerve inflammation and damage. Long-term nerve pain is the biggest complication from shingles.” About 10 to 18 percent of people who get shingles experience this nerve pain, according to the CDC.

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How To Tell The Difference Between Breathing Problems From Anxiety And The New Coronavirus

To be really upfront, this is a tricky topic overall. Its one thing to explain expert-based advice for differentiating between the two, but the nature of anxiety can make it really hard to put into practice. First, well walk through expert insight on how to try to tell the difference, then well get into the nuances of why this advice can be hard to followplus what you might still be able to do for relief.

Even though shortness of breath from anxiety can certainly make you panic that you have the new coronavirus, there are a couple of concrete ways to try to tell whats causing your shortness of breath, Dr. Castriotta says.

First, think about if you have a history of shortness of breath as an anxiety symptom. If youve experienced multiple spells of anxiety manifesting with the exact symptoms youre currently dealing with, including shortness of breath, it might be easier to convince yourself thats what is going on. If thats the situation at hand, here are some tips for dealing with overwhelming new coronavirus anxiety. If your anxiety normally presents in other ways and this shortness of breath is new for you, thats worth noting and bringing up with your doctor or therapist via a phone call or a virtual visit.

Pulmonary And Cardiac Causes

Asthma

Telltale symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, and cough. If you have asthma and are exposed to lung irritants or allergens, these triggers may cause the muscles in your airways to constrict and narrow, leading to chest tightness, pain, and pressure.

You may be advised to use an inhaler to relieve your airways and reduce your symptoms. Studies show that albuterol inhalers can effectively ease chest discomfort and eliminate symptoms of an asthma attack.

COPD

If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , you may experience occasional chest tightness. While the primary symptom of COPD is shortness of breath, you may feel chest tightness or a sensation that something is wrapped around your chest even while at rest.

COPD is often treated through the use of inhalers and nebulizers to help improve breathing. Corticosteroids and phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors are often prescribed to reduce lung inflammation and reduce COPD flare-ups.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease is caused by the narrowing of large blood vesselsknown as coronary arteriesthat supply oxygen to the heart. Arteries that have become narrow can cause shortness of breath and angina . Angina may also be characterized as chest tightness, heaviness, pressure, fullness, or squeezing.

Pulmonary Hypertension

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Pericarditis

Pleuritis

Pneumothorax

Coronary Artery Tear

Pulmonary Embolism

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Can Shingles Cause Shortness Of Breath She Has Been To The Emergency Room And Found Nothing

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What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles In Adults

“The first symptom of shingles is often oversensitivity or a painful burning sensation either on the face, chest, back, abdomen or pelvis, usually on one side of the body,” explains Dr. Wild.

You might also have a high temperature, or feel unwell for a few days before a rash appears on your skin.

Once a rash does develop, it usually starts as small, raised red spots before turning into small blisters full of cloudy fluid. “These blisters dry up after 5-7 days and form scabs that usually drop off within 2-3 weeks”, adds Dr. Wild.

“If youre worried you have shingles, you should check for red blotches on the skin on one side of your body,” Dr. Wild says. “A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles. Shingles can affect both sides of the body, but its very rareusually only in those with a weakened immune system. Shingles blotches can become painful and will blister. Your skin around the infected area will remain painful or uncomfortable until the rash has completely disappeared.”

As with chicken pox, you should avoid scratching the rash as it can leave scars.

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How Is Shingrix Given

Shingrix is given as an injection into a muscle. A healthcare provider will give you this injection.

Shingrix is usually given in a series of 2 shots. The second shot may be given any time within 2 to 6 months after the first shot.

You may receive Shingrix at the same time that you get a flu shot.

Read all patient information, medication guides, and instruction sheets provided to you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Chest Pain And Heart Attack

Chest discomfort or pain may be a key warning symptom of a heart attack. Heart attack symptoms may include:

• Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.
• Sweating.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or in one or both shoulders or arms.
• Light-headedness or sudden weakness.
• A fast or irregular heartbeat.

Chest discomfort or pain that comes on or gets worse with exercise, stress, or eating a large meal and goes away with rest may also be a symptom of heart disease called angina.

If you have any of these symptoms of a heart attack, 911 or other emergency services immediately. After you call 911, the operator may tell you to chew 1 adult-strength or 2 to 4 low-dose aspirin. Wait for an ambulance. Do not try to drive yourself. Since most of the damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack occurs in the first 6 hours, emergency treatment may prevent damage to the heart muscle and death. For men and women, the most common symptom is chest pain or pressure. Women are somewhat more likely than men to have other symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea, and back or jaw pain.

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How Is Intercostal Neuralgia Treated

Intercostal neuralgia may resolve on its own or it may require treatment. Treatments include:

• Intercostal , which are injections of a local anesthetic or a corticosteroid around the affected intercostal nerve

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen naproxen , and indomethacin . NSAIDS help reduce inflammation and pain.

Medications that may be used to treat include:

• Antidepressant medications, which can help reduce

• Antihistamines, which relieve itching

• Antiviral medications, such as acyclovir and famciclovir . Antiviral medications may reduce the severity and duration of your symptoms.

• Capsaicin cream , which helps relieve pain

• Corticosteroids, which may reduce the risk of developing postherpetic

When To Call A Professional

Contact a health care professional if you have any symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis, especially:

• Back pain and stiffness that gets worse gradually over weeks or months
• Early morning stiffness that improves when you take a warm shower or do light exercise, especially if this symptom lasts for weeks or months

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Muscle Or Nerve Disorders That Cause Chest Pain

Muscles in the chest and their supportive components such as ligaments can become injured during trauma or inflamed because of overuse even during severe coughing spells. The resulting chest pain is usually described as constant or intermittent and worsens with activity or coughing. The area is tender when it is pressed or moved.

Nerve pain in the chest can come from any chest nerves that are pinched, cut, or crushed by trauma. However, one source of burning and/or sharp pain in the chest can be caused by shingles. Herpes zosterviruses remain in the body for years after a chickenpox infection and may later reactivate and follow the nerve distribution on the chest, usually producing a sharp pain in a band on one side of the chest. This chest pain may occur before the characteristic rash of shingles develops.

Pain On The Right Side Of The Chest Here Are Some Possible Causes

There can be many possible causes for pain on the right side of the chest. In fact, its one of the most common reasons people visit the emergency room, says Dr. Stephen Keithahn, an internist at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

When doctors try to pinpoint the cause of pain on the right side of the chest, they consider whats located in that part of the body. This includes:

Skin.

Cartilage, a type of connective tissue.

Pleura, which is a thin lining around the ribs and chest cavity.

The lungs.

The diaphragm.

In women, the right breast.

However, pain can radiate from another part of the body to the right side of the chest. For instance, you may have an injury in the neck or shoulders, but the pain can also be felt on the right side of your chest, says Dr. Mary Ann Bauman, a Seattle-based internist and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.

Although the heart usually is located on the left side of the body, in some people it is shifted toward the right, says Dr. Pilar Stevens-Haynes, a cardiologist and director of echocardiography at Mount Sinai South Nassau in Oceanside, New York. This is why heart attack symptoms also can occur on the right side of the chest, not just the left side.

Not every cause of pain on the right side of the chest is serious, but some of them are. Any time you have pain on the right side of your chest, you should let your doctor know. You should seek emergency care for right-sided chest pain if you:

GERD

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Preparing For Your Appointment

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

• When did the chest pain begin?
• How long does the pain last?
• How often does the pain occur?
• How severe is the pain?
• What does the pain feel like?
• Where is the pain located?
• Does the pain change or get worse when you take a deep breath?

What Are The Potential Complications Of Intercostal Neuralgia

The complications of untreated or poorly controlled intercostal neuralgia vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Any kind of rib cage area pain, whether it occurs alone or is accompanied by other symptoms, should be evaluated by your doctor or healthcare provider. Once the underlying cause is identified, following the treatment plan you and your healthcare provider develop specifically for you will minimize the risk of complications of intercostal neuralgia and its underlying cause. These complications include:

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What Causes Internal Shingles

The varicella zoster virus causes shingles. Its the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a bout of chickenpox, the virus becomes dormant in the body and settles in certain nerves and tissue of the nervous system. Later in life, the virus can reactivate and present itself as shingles. Shingles typically appears on the skin along the nerve path where it had been previously dormant. If the reactivation of the virus becomes severe, it can affect not only the skin but other organs too. This is what is called systemic or internal shingles.

When To Call The Doctor

If you have any signs of heart disease, call your health care provider right away. Don’t wait to see if the symptoms go away or dismiss them as nothing.

• You have chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack
• You know you have angina and have chest pain that doesn’t go away after 5 minutes of rest or after taking nitroglycerine
• You think you may be having a heart attack
• You become extremely short of breath
• You think you may have lost consciousness

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How Is Internal Shingles Treated

Even though shingles is a virus, this is a case where there are antiviral medications available by prescription. Thats why its important to see your doctor right away if you suspect you have shingles. Early treatment may reduce the risk of complications, like PHN. Serious complications require hospitalization.

Common antiviral medications for shingles include:

• acyclovir
• valacyclovir
• famciclovir

Depending on the location and severity of the shingles infection, steroids may also help. Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen and pain-relieving medication such as acetaminophen or other prescription pain medication can help in easing pain experienced from shingles.