Here’s What Shingles Feels Like Say Physicians
Shingles is a common viral infection that develops a painful rash on the face and or body that blisters and scabs. Shingles can last three to five weeks according to the National Institute on Aging and many people will experience shingles at some point. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states “About 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will develop shingles, also known as herpes zoster, in their lifetime. An estimated 1 million people get shingles each year in this country. If you’ve ever had chickenpox, you can get shingles. Even children can get shingles. Your risk of shingles increases as you get older.” Dr. Alex Spinoso, MD with Genesis Lifestyle Medicine tells Eat This, Not That! Heath, “Shingles is caused by the Varicella zoster virus aka Herpes zoster. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in their spinal cord, which can reactivate later causing shingles.” Experts explain to us what it feels like to have shingles and how to help alleviate the pain. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
When To Seek Medical Advice
Shingles is not usually serious, but you should see your GP as soon as possible if you recognise the symptoms. Early treatment may help reduce the severity of your symptoms and the risk of developing complications.
You should also see your GP if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system and you think you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles and haven’t had chickenpox before.
What Fruits Are Bad For Shingles
Arginine is an amino acid that helps the shingles virus replicate. Chocolate, nuts and seeds, canned tuna, and gelatin all contain high levels of arginine. Other arginine-heavy foods to stay away from are tomatoes, wheat germ, Brussels sprouts, and some fruits including grapes, blackberries and blueberries.
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The Difference Between Hives And Shingles
Hives is an itchy, raised rash which is caused by an allergic reaction to food, pollen, insect bites or other chemicals. You may notice hives appear if you change your regular habits such as changing your laundry detergent.
Hives differ from shingles in that it is usually short-term and goes away once your immune response to the allergen has subsided.
Secondly, although hives can be irritating, it does not cause any nerve pain in the way that shingles does.
Finally the rash itself looks different. Hives can be more widespread and can either appear as large red patches or small raised bumps. Shingles, on the other hand, causes fluid-filled blisters, and the rash tends to occur on one side of your body.
See below for an image of hives.
What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles On The Scalp
If you have shingles on the scalp, there are specific symptoms that youre bound to notice:
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Where Can Shingles Occur
Shingles can occur all across the body including the face and genitals, but it most commonly appears on the chest and stomach. However, a shingles rash distinctly appears on only one side of your body.
Shingles symptoms can also occur on the eye, a condition known as ophthalmic zoster, and on the ear, known as Ramsay hunt syndrome. These two conditions present slightly different symptoms than a standard shingles infection.
Steroid Medication For Shingles
Steroids help to reduce swelling . A short course of steroid tablets may be considered in addition to antiviral medication. This may help to reduce pain and speed healing of the rash. However, the use of steroids in shingles is controversial. Your doctor will advise you. Steroids do not prevent PHN.
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Shingles Pain And Itching Help Pls
Jubs_UK
my shingles blisters and rashes have fallen off and skin that was left raw and open is healing BUT the pain and itching has worsened and intensified. The prickling pain and twitching feeling is so intense and irritating I’ve given into itching. Does anyone know of anything I can do….the other day I was awake till 5am. It felt mild wen I had the blisters but now I’m so uncomfortable. The doc give me amithriptyline and that helped with pain in my throat , ear and and head but does nothing for skin. I’m so confused…has anyone else experienced this. Please share ur recovery stories with me and if there’s anything u found soothing I’d be grateful to hear from you.
This is such a terrible illness….I think there should be vaccination for everyone from childhood….it’s so bad that’s why I’m thinking along these lines….losing my mind. My shingles started two weeks ago and I have completed the course of acyclovir.
Hope we to hear from anyone who has suffered from shingles and or Post shingles pain
many thanks
How Can I Take Care Of Myself
- Take a pain-relief medicine such as acetaminophen. Take other medicine as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
- Put cool, moist washcloths on the rash.
- Rest in bed during the early stages if you have fever and other symptoms.
- Try not to let clothing or bed linens rub against the rash and irritate it.
- You develop worsening pain or fever.
- You develop a severe headache, stiff neck, hearing loss, or changes in your ability to think.
- The blisters show signs of bacterial infection, such as increasing pain or redness, or milky yellow drainage from the blister sites.
- The blisters are close to the eyes or you have pain in your eyes or trouble seeing.
- You have trouble walking.
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How Is Shingles Diagnosed
Your healthcare provider will do a complete physical exam and ask about your medical history, specifically about whether you have ever had chickenpox.
Your healthcare provider will likely know right away that it is shingles based on the unique rash. The rash usually appears one area on one side of the body or face. It appears as red spots, small fluid- or pus-filled vesicles, or scabs.
The healthcare provider may also take skin scrapings for testing.
Rituxan For Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Rituxan is approved to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia in adults. The drug is used for CLL thats CD20-positive and has or hasnt been previously treated. For this purpose, Rituxan is used with the drugs fludarabine and cyclophosphamide.
CLL explained
CLL is a type of blood cancer that affects white blood cells called lymphocytes. CLL occurs when the cells grow out of control or dont grow properly. CLL starts in the bone marrow and then travels into the blood.
Rituxan is used in people with a certain type of CLL known as CD20-positive CLL. CD20 is a protein thats found on your blood cells. Rituxan works by acting on that CD20 protein.
To treat CD20-positive CLL, Rituxan is used along with both fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. Rituxan can be used:
- in people who have never been treated for their CLL before, or
- in people who have already tried other medications to treat their CLL
Effectiveness for CLL
In clinical trials, people took fludarabine and cyclophosphamide with or without Rituxan. At least 50% of people who had never been treated for their CLL:
- went 39.8 months without their cancer getting worse when they took Rituxan, fludarabine, and cyclophosphamide
- went 31.5 months without their cancer getting worse when they took fludarabine and cyclophosphamide alone
Rituxan was also studied in people who had already tried other medications for their CLL. At least 50% of people who had been treated in the past for their CLL:
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Heres How To Treat And Try To Prevent Phn
Some treatments for PHN include lidocaine patches to locally numb the area. Other options include antidepressants, opioids, and antiepileptic drugs. However, patients often find the side effects from these arent worth it, and opioids only provide short-term relief due to the risk of dependence.
You cant prevent PHN entirely, but you can lower your risk. The key is to recognize shingles early and start antiviral medications like Valtrex as soon as you can. Perhaps the most important factor is to get the shingles vaccine if youre eligible. The shingles vaccine can help prevent shingles , but even if you still get shingles after being vaccinated, your risk of PHN will be lower.
If youre experiencing lingering pain that hinders your livelihood after shingles, talk to your doctor to find the right treatment for you.
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How Long Does Shingles Last
For most people, the painful rash will take up to 4 weeks to heal. However, in rare cases, some people feel the effects months and even years after the initial infection.
Some complications of shingles include:
- post-herpetic neuralgia – severe pain that lasts in the affected area long after the rash has disappeared due to damage to the nerve fibres in that area.
- varicella pneumonia – lung infection
- encephalitis – a condition that causes brain inflammation
However, the risk of shingles complications is very low and most cases of shingles occur with no serious complications.
Those at risk of more long-lasting symptoms include the elderly, pregnant women, young children and those with a weakened immune system .
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What Can Be Done To Prevent The Spread Of Shingles
A vaccine for chickenpox is available and it is hoped that individuals immunized against chickenpox will be less likely to develop shingles in later life.
The risk of spreading the virus that causes shingles is low if the rash is covered. People with shingles should keep the rash covered, not touch or scratch the rash, and wash their hands often to prevent the spread of shingles. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious.
The Stages Before And After Rash Development
The most well-known symptom of shingles is a severe skin rash. However, before any signs of blisters, you may feel as if you’re only coming down with the flu.
You may experience chills and fever, as well as intense pain. It’s not until a few days later that a rash finally joins these shingles symptoms, with clusters of tiny, pimple-like blisters progressing quickly once they appear.
If you’re familiar with the signs and symptoms of shingles, you’ll be able to recognize what’s going on, get a diagnosis quickly, and deal with it without delay. Doing so makes you less likely to develop complications, such as nerve issues or bacterial skin infections.
This article reviews the symptoms of shingles and what you need to know about potential complications.
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What Are The Symptoms And Stages Shingles
Shingles symptoms appear in stages. At first, you may get headaches or feel like you have the flu, but without a fever. You may also be sensitive to light, have trouble thinking clearly or feel dizzy and weak.
A few days or even weeks later, an area of your body or face will feel itchy, tingly or painful. This is where a rash will appear. The rash will eventually turn into a cluster of blisters that are filled with fluid.
Check If You Have Shingles
The first signs of shingles can be:
- a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
- a headache or feeling generally unwell
A rash will appear a few days later.
Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals.
The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.
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What Are The Health Complications
The most common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia . PHN causes severe pain even after the shingles rash clears.
People aged 60 years and older who dont seek treatment for shingles are more likely to develop PHN.
Shingles can also cause serious sight problems if it infects the structures of the eye.
Other rare complications include:
If You Get The Shingles Vaccine Does This Mean Youre 100% Protected From Getting Shingles
No. Just like most vaccines, getting vaccinated with a shingles vaccine doesnt provide 100% protection from disease. However, getting the shingles vaccine reduces your risk of developing shingles.
Even if you do develop shingles, youll be more likely to have a mild case. Also, youll be much less likely to develop postherpetic neuralgia, a painful condition that can follow a shingles outbreak.
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Who Should Not Be Vaccinated With Shingrix
You shouldnt receive the Shingrix vaccine if you:
- Have ever had a severe allergy to this vaccine or any ingredient in this vaccine.
- Are breastfeeding or pregnant.
- Currently have shingles.
- Are ill and have a high fever.
- Have tested negative for immunity to varicella-zoster virus .
Ask your healthcare provider if the benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh any potential risks.
What To Look For
The available shingles treatments are more effective the earlier you start them. This is yet another reason why younger adults need to be aware of their risk for shinglesand what the symptoms look like.
Before an outbreak, you may notice chills, head or body aches where the rash will likely occur, and even have sensitivity to light or migraines. Eventually, the shingles virus often results in a rash along your nerve patterns with painful blistering, usually on just one side of your body.
If the shingles outbreak is close to or on your eye, you could suffer vision loss. Some patients with longer shingles infections can develop cognitive issues. People with shingles may also suffer from hearing loss, a brief paralysis of the face, peripheral neuropathy, or even encephalitis . These complications are less likely when someone seeks early treatment.
One last thing: If youve never had chickenpox or its vaccine, head to your doctor ASAP for one. If you can avoid getting chickenpox, you can avoid getting shingles.
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How Is It Treated
It is best to start treatment as soon as possible after you notice the rash. See your healthcare provider to discuss treatment with antiviral medicine, such as acyclovir. This medicine is most effective if you start taking it within the first 3 days of the rash. Antiviral medicine may speed your recovery and lessen the chance that the pain will last for a long time.
Your provider may also recommend or prescribe:
- medicine for pain
- antibacterial salves or lotions to help prevent bacterial infection of the blisters
- corticosteroids
Dosage For Rheumatoid Arthritis
For rheumatoid arthritis, youll receive a 1,000-mg infusion of Rituxan, followed by another 1,000-mg infusion 2 weeks later. After that, youll need to have an infusion every 24 weeks. But if youre still having symptoms, your doctor may schedule you for an infusion more frequently. For treating RA, Rituxan can be given as often as every 16 weeks.
In addition to premedications , youll be given a glucocorticoid, such as methylprednisolone , about 30 minutes before your dose of Rituxan. A glucocorticoid is a type of steroid, and it helps decrease your risk for having an infusion reaction from the medication. Youll receive 100 mg of methylprednisolone as an IV injection.
For RA, Rituxan is given along with methotrexate , so be sure to keep taking your dose of methotrexate as prescribed by your doctor.
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Urgent Advice: Get Advice From 111 As Soon As You Suspect Shingles
You might need medicine to help speed up your recovery and avoid longer-lasting problems.
This works best if taken within 3 days of your symptoms starting.
111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or .
Get an urgent GP appointment
A GP may be able to treat you.
Ask your GP surgery for an urgent appointment.