Benefits Of Impact Resistant Shingles
Are impact-resistant shingles worth it? For many homeowners, the answer is yes. Class 4 impact resistant shingles offer many benefits, including:
- Meet building codes: Some local building codes at the city or country level may require you to install Class 4 impact resistant shingles when you get a new roof. Typically, these are in areas where hail is a common occurrence.
- Get insurance discounts: Some insurance companies offer discounts on roofing materials that achieve a Class 4 impact resistance rating. For example, State Farms impact resistant shingle discount is available to select customers. These savings may be substantial, even 35% of your home insurance premiums, according to NBC News.
- Enjoy more benefits: Impact-resistant shingles may also meet other high standards for quality. At IKO, we call these performance shingles. For example, NordicTM shingles are designed to withstand high winds up to 110 mph.
- Achieve better durability: The most significant benefit of impact resistant shingles is that they will better withstand hailstorms. You can get peace of mind that in a hailstorm, your roof will be as safe as it can be.
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The Emotional Toll Of Nerve Pain After Shingles
Researchers are not just looking at biological and neurological risk factors for PHN. Dworkin was also a co-author of a study looking at psychological risk factors, too. The results were published in the Journal of Pain in 2005.
“It certainly looks like psychological stress can be a potent risk factor for PHN,” Dworkin tells WebMD.
The study showed that people with shingles who went on to develop PHN were more likely to have had symptoms of personality disorders, hypochondria, intense worry about their disease, and other bodily complaints.
Dworkin says previous studies have already shown a connection between stress and shingles development.
“One study even found that the risk of developing PHN was higher in people who were living alone when they developed shingles than people living with others,” Dworkin says, perhaps indicating that social isolation increases the risks of PHN.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
Herpes simplex virus type 2 spreads through sexual contact and is a type of sexually transmitted infection .
Both types of HSV develop as a result of direct contact with the virus.
HSV-1 most commonly spreads through oral-to-oral contact, which can be with sores, saliva, or the area around the mouth. Transmission may also occur due to sharing lip balm, a toothbrush, or any other product that has come into contact with HSV.
People have a much higher risk of contracting HSV-1 if they come into contact with someone who has an active outbreak of symptoms. In some cases, it is also possible for people to transmit HSV-1 during sexual activity.
Transmission of HSV-2
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What Can I Take To Feel Better
Your doctor has a host of ways to treat your pain after shingles, including a variety of medications. They include:
Anticonvulsants: These medications were developed to control seizures, but they can also help reduce the pain of postherpetic neuralgia. Examples are:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about side effects of any new prescription or over-the-counter medication.
Commissioner Doak Urges Oklahomans To Consider Impact
OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak is encouraging homeowners to consider purchasing impact-resistant shingles. The investment could lead to savings on their home insurance premium.
With the severe weather we experience here in Oklahoma, roofs take a beating, said Doak. Studies have shown that many impact-resistant shingles can withstand a storm with golf-ball sized hail and 130 mph winds. They offer better protection from wind and hail, reducing the chance youll have to file an insurance claim to get a new roof. Overall, its a great investment.
The discounts vary depending on the class of roofing material. The Underwriters Laboratory rates roofing materials from Class 1 to Class 4. A Class 4 shingle generally receives the highest premium credit. Typically, Class 4 roofing materials for a house cost $1,800 to $2,500 more than lower-rated shingles.
Check with your insurance company before replacing your roof to see what discounts they offer and the specific type of roofing material required to qualify for the discount.
One maker of impact-resistant shingles in Oklahoma is Malarkey Roofing Products. Commissioner Doak toured the facility earlier this week.
About the Oklahoma Insurance Department
The Oklahoma Insurance Department, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, is responsible for the education and protection of the insurance-buying public and for oversight of the insurance industry in the state.
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Why Does Postherpetic Neuralgia Happen
Postherpetic neuralgia starts out with a very familiar illness: chickenpox. The virus that causes it is called varicella-zoster. Once chickenpox has run its course, the virus âhides outâ in your nervous system.
Doctors arenât sure exactly why, but sometimes the virus reactivates decades later and travels along pathways to your skin. A painful, blistering rash can erupt. Thatâs shingles.
In some cases, shingles can damage your nerves so that they canât send messages from your skin to your brain as they usually do. That scramble of signals can trigger the ongoing pain of neuralgia.
If the pain lasts more than a year, it can become permanent.
Facial Pain And Eye Damage
Between 10% and 15% of the time, shingles affects the trigeminal gangliona triple-branched nerve that provides sensation to structures in the face. The medical term for head or facial pain due to shingles is “painful trigeminal neuropathy attributed to herpes zoster.”
Specifically, the trigeminal ganglion involves the eye the cheek and the mandibular branch . Of these, the ophthalmic branch is the one most commonly affected by herpes zoster.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology , 25% of the 300,000 to 500,000 cases of shingles that occur each year are herpes zoster ophthalmicus .
HZO can affect any part of the eye, from the optic nerve to the conjunctiva . Without antiviral treatment, almost half of people who have shingles near the eye will experience eye damage or even lose an eye, so it’s vital to see an ophthalmologist immediately.
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Steel Ball Simulation Test
UL 2218 Becomes the Impact Resistant Roof Standard
Underwriter Laboratoriesâ steel ball test simulates a hailstones impact using a steel ball on a roof shingle, focusing on the shingles most vulnerable areas, including the edges, corners, unsupported sections, and joints.
The simulation includes the following:
- Steel balls are dropped from 12 feet for a 1.25-inch ball and from 20 feet for a 2-inch ball
- Impact resistant shingles remained intact, even with the 2-inch steel ball
- To successfully pass the UL 2218 standard, the roof covering, the exposed surface, the back surface, and underneath layers all must show no evidence of tearing, fracturing, cracking, splitting, or rupturing.
Non-impact resistant shingles will endure cracks and ruptures from the same steel ball test. The roof shingles granules will be knocked off, leaving it exposed to harmful UV damage. Over time, UV rays will degrade a roof and make it vulnerable to leaks.
This hail simulation test is performed on new shingles not aged shingles that may already be brittle with age or more susceptible to hail damage. Another factor to consider for your home is your roofs pitch, or angle. Steeper pitched roofs are less vulnerable to most hailstorms than lower pitched roofs. Additional considerations include the type of underlayment used, the existing roof decking condition, tree coverage, and more.
Rebooting The Nervous System
Its like restarting a computer, Dr. Rosenquist says. When its running slowly or acting weird, you restart it. We are trying to turn that nerve off. When it comes back on, hopefully, it will send an appropriate transmission as opposed to a pain transmission.
Treatmentoptions for PHN patients include:
Patientswith refractory PHN rarely need opioid pain medication. However,you should be evaluated by a physician. We cant make a blanket statement abouttreatment. It is individualized, she says.
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What Are Class 4 Shingles
Class 4 shingles are equipped with impact-resistant features, which allow them to withstand rugged conditions. If you have shingles on your roof, you want them to be as durable as possible because they serve as the first line of defense against rain, debris, strong winds, snow, and other forms of rough weather.
Class 4 refers to a specific category of testing conditions that the shingles are put through in order to ensure their durability against impacts. There are four classifications of impact resistance for shingles: Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, and Class 4. The impact resistance tests are based on the Underwriter Laboratories 2218 standards. According to UL 2218, the shingle must be able to withstand the impact of a two-inch steel ball dropped from a height of 20 feet, two times in the same area.
The shingle is issued a Class 4 impact resistance rating if there are no signs of dents, fracturing, or cracks on the backside.
For comparison, below are the testing requirements for Class 1 to Class 4 roofing shingles:
- Class 1: 1.25-inch steel ball from a height of 12 feet
- Class 2: 1.5-inch steel ball from a height of 14 feet
- Class 3: 1.75-inch steel ball from a height of 17 feet
- Class 4: 2-inch steel ball from a height of 20 feet
Considering that a large hailstone is roughly the size of a quarter, which has a one-inch diameter, a Class 4-rated shingle should be able to avoid hail damage without any major issues.
Home Care Measures For Genital Herpes
First, simple self-care may be enough to relieve most discomfort caused by genital herpes. Taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen, can help ease the pain of herpes symptoms. Doctors sometimes recommend soaking the affected area in warm water. But the area should be kept dry most of the time. If toweling off after bathing is uncomfortable, try using a hair dryer. Then put on cotton underwear. Cotton absorbs moisture better than synthetic fabric does.
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Who Is At Risk Of Getting Postherpetic Neuralgia
Factors that increase the risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia include:
- Older age: The chance of developing postherpetic neuralgia increases with age. If youre older and develop shingles, youre more likely to develop PHN and have longer lasting and more severe pain than a younger person with shingles. About 10 to 13% of people over age 50 who have had shingles will get PHN. People under age 40 rarely get PHN.
- Weakened immune system: Your immune system weakens as you get older, which allows the inactive varicella-zoster virus to become active again and cause shingles in some people. Medical conditions that can weaken your immune system include cancer, chronic infectious diseases , being an organ transplant recipient or taking medications that weaken your immune system .
- Severity of your shingles: If you have a severe rash, you have a greater chance of PHN.
- Painful, itchy or tingly feeling before shingles rash: If you had these symptoms in an area of skin a few days before your shingles rash broke out, you are at higher risk of PHN.
- Waiting to see your healthcare provider after shingles rash: If you wait longer than three days after your rash appeared missing the window to receive antiviral drugs you have an increased chance of PHN.
What Should I Do To Avoid/deal With Shingles
With about one million cases of shingles in the U.S. every year, effective prevention and treatment methods are highly valuable.
- The only way to reduce the risk of developing shingles and PHN is get vaccinated against. Two doses of the shingles vaccine Shingrix are recommended for healthy adults 50 years of age and older. You can visit your local Passport Health clinic for the necessary series of vaccinations. Remember, the shingles shot is different from the chickenpox immunization.
- If you are sick with a bout of shingles and wish to avoid spreading the varicella-zoster virus to others, follow CDC guidelines. Cover the rash, wash your hands often, avoid touching the rash and avoid interaction with people at particular risk. To learn more about how contagious herpes zoster is, you can read more here.
- Antiviral medicines can help treat shingles, and they should be taken as soon as possible. To soothe the herpes zoster rash, try wet compresses, calamine lotion, colloidal oatmeal baths and pain medication.
Did you know that shingles could have so many painful effects? Does someone you know deal with the illness? Will you be getting a Shingrix vaccine to prevent herpes zoster? Let us know in the comments below, or via and .
Written for Passport Health by Katherine Meikle. Katherine is a freelance writer and proud first-generation British-American living in Florida, where she was born and raised. She has a passion for travel and a love of writing, which go hand-in-hand.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Postherpetic Neuralgia
Common postherpetic neuralgia symptoms include:
- Burning, sharp, jagging or aching pain in the area where the shingles rash appeared.
- Itchiness or numbness at or near the area of the former rash.
- Pain that is constant or comes and goes. Pain typically lasts, on average, for three months after the rash has healed, but can last for more than a year or longer.
- Pain at affected skin area can be brought on even with a light touch .
- Pain gets worse at night or in heat or cold temperatures.
What Is Class 4 Impact Resistance For Roofing Shingles
All roofing products go through rigorous testing by independent, nationally recognized laboratories to provide assurance that product performance meets specifications. Impact resistance for roof coverings are rated by Underwriter Laboratories between Class 1 and 4, with Class 4 being the most durable.
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When Should I Get The Shingles Vaccine
The current shingles vaccine is a safe, easy, and more effective way to prevent shingles than the previous vaccine. In fact, it is over 90% effective at preventing shingles. Most adults age 50 and older should get vaccinated with the shingles vaccine, which is given in two doses. You can get the shingles vaccine at your doctors office and at some pharmacies.
You should get the shingles vaccine if you:
- Have already had chickenpox, the chickenpox vaccine, or shingles
- Received the prior shingles vaccine called Zostavax
- Dont remember having had chickenpox
Medicare Part D and private health insurance plans may cover some or all of the cost. Check with Medicare or your health plan to find out if it is covered.
You should not get vaccinated if you:
- Currently have shingles
- Are sick or have a fever
- Had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of the shingles vaccine
If you are unsure about the above criteria or have other health concerns, talk with your doctor before getting the vaccine.
First Signs And Symptoms Of Shingles
Among the systemic symptoms that may appear in the first few days of the prodromal stage of shingles are:
- Pain in a specific, localized area of the body
- Sensitivity to light
The most telling first symptom of shingles typically is the pain. Often excruciating, the discomfort has been described as burning, stinging, tingly, prickly, itchy, numbing, achy, or shooting. It can be persistent or intermittent, but will always be limited to one side of the body.
Because the pain from shingles is localized, it can be mistaken for other conditions depending on where it’s focused.
For example, a stabbing or persistent pain on one side of the lower back may mistakenly be attributed to sciatica or a kidney problem. Shingles pain around the lips could suggest a cold sore coming on, while pain focused on the eye or ear might seem like the start of a migraine.
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How Do Dermatologists Treat Shingles
An antiviral medication can:
-
Reduce the amount of time that you have a shingles rash
-
Lower your risk of developing long-lasting nerve pain and other health problems
One of three antiviral medications is usually prescribedacyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir.
To treat your symptoms, dermatologists typically recommend the following:
Pain: Medication that you can buy without a prescription can help, such as:
If you have severe pain, your dermatologist may prescribe a medication that reduces inflammation, such as a corticosteroid.
What Causes Postherpetic Neuralgia
Postherpetic neuralgia results from damage to nerve fibers during shingles infection. The nerve fibers at the skin in the affected area send exaggerated pain signals to your brain. Postherpetic neuralgia means nerve pain after herpes. Shingles is also called herpes zoster.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the virus that causes chickenpox. Once youve had chickenpox, the virus remains in your body for your entire life, but is dormant or silent for years. When the virus becomes reactivated, it causes shingles. A certain percentage of people who get shingles develop PHN.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles
Usually, shingles develops on just one side of the body or face, and in a small area. The most common place for shingles to occur is in a band around one side of the waistline.
Most people with shingles have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Fluid-filled blisters
- Tingling, itching, or numbness of the skin
- Chills, fever, headache, or upset stomach
For some people, the symptoms of shingles are mild. They might just have some itching. For others, shingles can cause intense pain that can be felt from the gentlest touch or breeze. Its important to talk with your doctor if you notice any shingles symptoms.
If you notice blisters on your face, see your doctor right away because this is an urgent problem. Blisters near or in the eye can cause lasting eye damage and blindness. Hearing loss, a brief paralysis of the face, or, very rarely, inflammation of the brain can also occur.