Shingles On Scalp: Symptoms Pictures Images No Rash & Treatment
What are shingles on scalp? Shingles is an infection caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. That means one cannot develop shingles if they have not had a previous infection of chickenpox. The primary symptom of Shingles is a rash. It is however not uncommon for some people to develop the shingles with no rash. Both this forms of shingles are not contagious. Here are some of the symptoms, pictures and treatment option for shingles not only on scalp but also on other parts of the body.
Shingles are also called herpes zoster. This infection is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. It is common in older people above 60 years. It occurs when the virus that caused chickenpox reactivates. Once infected with chicken pox, your body defense system becomes immune to the virus. After the chicken pox clears, the virus remains dormant in the root of the nerve cells.
The virus will then reactivate to cause shingles. The actual cause for the reactivation of the virus is not known. The risk of the virus reactivating, however, increases with increase in age, the weakening of the immune system, illness or some using some medicine. Other cause believed to cause the reactivation of the virus is said to be emotional stress.
Living With Shingles Is Not Fun
Shingles can be prevented. That is what the science says. Meanwhile, I am recovering from the most uncomfortable preventable viral outbreak of my life. What was there to think about? Being sick or staying well? Having persistent burning, itchy surges of nerve pain or not? It’s really a no-brainer…now.1
If you haven’t had shingles, just imagine your back has been shaved with a dull razor. That gets inflamed and shaved again. The softest touch, the slightest reach causes pain. If the wind were to gently whisk your rash, it would feel like the stabbings from a thousand needles. The lymph nodes on the affected side might swell with pain. You might feel a tad nauseous as nerve sensation wraps around your ribcage. You will experience bouts of itching between pain surges. Or they will occur simultaneously.
To put it bluntly, living with shingles is not fun.
When Swollen Cervical Lymph Nodes Could Be Cancer
Swollen cervical lymph nodes are rarely a sign of cancer. However, painless swelling of one or more lymph nodes, especially the cervical lymph nodes, is a key warning sign of lymphoma, including Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma .
In fact, swollen cervical nodes can be one of the few outward signs of lymphoma in the early stages.
- HL is often marked by the swelling of cervical lymph nodes. The swelling usually moves from one lymph node to the next in a predictable pattern of spread.
- NHL may cause swollen lymph nodes in the neck, but with a less defined pattern of spread. It appears as a more generalized swelling of lymph nodes.
Metastatic carcinomas and squamous cell carcinoma of the head/neck are other cancerous growths in which swelling of the cervical lymph nodes is common.
You May Like: How Long Does Shingles Vaccine Take To Be Effective
What Are The Symptoms
The first sign of shingles is often burning, sharp pain, tingling, or numbness in your skin on one side of your body or face. The most common site is the back or upper abdomen. You may have severe itching or aching. You also may feel tired and ill with fever, chills, headache, and upset stomach or belly pain.
One to 14 days after you start feeling pain, you will notice a rash of small blisters on reddened skin. Within a few days after they appear, the blisters will turn yellow, then dry and crust over. Over the next 2 weeks the crusts drop off, and the skin continues to heal over the next several days to weeks.
Because shingles usually follows nerve paths, the blisters are usually found in a line, often extending from the back or side around to the belly. The blisters are almost always on just one side of the body. Shingles usually doesn’t cross the midline of the body. The rash also may appear on one side of your face or scalp. The painful rash may be in the area of your ear or eye. When shingles occurs on the head or scalp, symptoms can include headaches and weakness of one side of the face, which causes that side of the face to look droopy. The symptoms usually go away eventually, but it may take many months.
In some cases the pain can last for weeks, months, or years, long after the rash heals. This is called postherpetic neuralgia.
What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles
Shingles symptoms appear in predictable stages. The severity of symptoms varies from person to person, but most cases follow a similar pattern.
Prodromal stage
- Burning, tickling, itching sensations around the affected area several days or a week before a rash appears. Discomfort is most common on the chest or back but can occur anywhere on the body, most typically only on one side.
- Flu-like symptoms such as achy joints, chills, stomach ache, and diarrhea
- Swelling and tenderness in lymph nodes around the affected area
Active stage
- Rash and blisters appear typically in a band or strip on one side of the body
- Blisters form and fill with a clear fluid
- Pain described as piercing needles and stabbing may occur on and near the rash
- Blisters break open, ooze, and crust over in 5-10 days
- The rash takes approximately 2-4 weeks to clear up, some scars may remain
Postherpetic neuralgia
- Aching, burning and stabbing sensations where shingles rash occurred
- Persistent pain that does not relent over weeks, months, and even up to years
- Extremely sensitive to touch
- The pain with PHN occurs most often on the chest and forehead. This can interfere with daily activities
The intensity of the shingles rash varies from person to person. Some people dont get a rash at all, while others may experience more severe blistering.
Some people who had shingles experience postherpetic neuralgia, the most common side effect of shingles.
Don’t Miss: Age For Shingles Vaccine 2021
Zostavax And The Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine
The Summary of Product Characteristics for Zostavax, the shingles vaccine used in the UK, states that the vaccine should not be given at the same time as the Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine . This is because a clinical trial by the manufacturer had suggested this might make Zostavax less effective. However, the Department of Health advice is that the two vaccines can be given at the same time. This is based on expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation , and on research that showed no evidence that people receiving both vaccines together had any increased risk of developing shingles. Read the abstract of the 2011 study by Tseng et al .
Shingles And Shingrix Everything People Need To Know
Nearly 1 millionpeople get shingles each year in the United States, and almost1 out of 3 peoplewill develop shingles in their lifetime. You can get it at almost any age, but it is more common in older adults. In most cases, shingles last anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Want to know more about shingles and how you can prevent it? Read on to learn more about this common health condition and how to protect yourself.
Nearly 1 millionpeople get shingles each year in the United States, and almost1 out of 3 peoplewill develop shingles in their lifetime. You can get it at almost any age, but it is more common in older adults. In most cases, shingles last anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Want to know more about shingles and how you can prevent it? Read on to learn more about this common health condition and how to protect yourself.
Recommended Reading: Do You Always Get A Rash With Shingles
Shingles On Scalp No Rash
Is it possible to have shingles without rash? Yes, it is possible, it is however rare. With this kind of shingles on scalp, it can be very difficult to diagnose the shingles since the primary symptoms of the condition is the rash, which in this case is not present.
Just like the common form of shingles one with the rash), the virus that causes chicken pox is also responsible for the formation of this type of shingles . The virus, in this case, is known as herpes zoster.
The difference between chicken pox and shingles is this: chicken pox is caused by a virus called varicella zoster, once infected by this virus, it remains dominant in your nerve cells. Until now, medical experts are yet to understand why the virus reactivate. Now, the virus reactivates to from shingles, in such case, the virus is known as herpes zoster.
Research, however, shows that shingles often occur in people with weak or compromised immune system. This would include people undergoing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, HIVAIDS, those taking high doses of corticosteroids, and people with high level of stress.
The symptoms of shingles on scalp with rash are the same to those of the shingle without the rash. The main difference is the lack of rash. The symptoms can be seen on scalp, in most case, the symptoms are often isolated on one side of the body. In most case, the symptoms can be seen on face, neck and around eyes.
Typical symptoms of shingle without a rash will include:
What Causes Herpes Zoster
After primaryinfectionvaricellaVZV remains dormant in dorsal root ganglianerve cells in the spine for years before it is reactivated and migrates down sensory nerves to the skin to cause herpes zoster.
It is not clear why herpes zoster affects a particular nerve fibre. Triggering factors are sometimes recognised, such as:
- Pressure on the nerve roots
- Radiotherapy at the level of the affected nerve root
- Contact with someone with varicella or herpes zoster
Don’t Miss: How Long Are Shingles Good For
Shingles On Scalp And Ear Pain
A rash is the most common symptom of shingles on scalp. The pain from rash behind the ear and on the scalp is felt like sharp stabbing knives. Ear pain or hearing difficulties is a complication you may develop when the condition is not diagnosed in time. This condition is however curable and the following are some of the treatments that might be administered
- Cold compressing- this helps to soothe and relieve pain in the ear
- Use of pain relievers such as non-steroid anti-inflammatory medications
- Ear drops for relieving itching and irritation inside the ear.
Fever And Feelings Of Malaise
Fever is one of the most common side effects of many vaccines, including Shingrix. This symptom often accompanies other feelings of malaise, such as muscle pains, chills, and headaches. A fever indicates that the bodys immune system is doing its job of responding to the vaccine.
Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and other OTC fever reducers can help keep a fever and many accompanying symptoms at bay. However, if you develop a high-grade fever of 103°F or higher, reach out to your doctor immediately.
You May Like: What Can You Use For Shingles Pain
What Do Swollen Lymph Nodes Mean After Coronavirus Vaccine
Stapleton resident Elsie Velez gets her coronavirus vaccine at St. Philips in Port Richmond on March 23, 2021.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. If youve recently received a coronavirus vaccine, you may notice swollen lymph nodes, but that is actually a good sign, according to medical experts.
People who have received a COVID-19 vaccine can have swelling in the lymph nodes in the underarm near where they got the shot, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . This swelling is a normal sign that your body is building protection against COVID-19.
And while most routine medical screenings may be performed just after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, the CDC recommends women postpone their annual mammogram until at least four to six week after being vaccinated.
The reason is that swollen lymph nodes, which usually occur in the arm that received the vaccine, may be confused for cancer during a routine mammogram.
Other routine exams, including blood work, cardiac stress tests, colonoscopies, ultrasounds, dental procedures and EKGs may be performed after vaccination without concern, the CDC says.
Lymph node swelling is nothing to be concerned about, said Dr. Laura Dean, a breast cancer specialist with the Cleveland Clinic.
Dean said the swelling usually appears two to four days post vaccination, on average, and is not cause for worry. However, lymph node swelling can be a sign of cancer and should not ordinarily be ignored.
How Do People Get Shingles
Once youve had chickenpox, the varicella virus lays dormant in your body. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus wakes up when stress, aging, illness, and/or certain medications weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to the virus being reactivated in the body.
Shingles arent contagious you cant catch it from someone who has it. But there is a chance that the shingles rash can spread to another person who hasnt had chickenpox or been vaccinated for it.
You are at a higher risk for developing shingles if:
- You have had the chickenpox.
- You are 50 and older.
- You have a weakened immune system due to another health condition.
- You are under a lot of stress or experienced recent trauma.
- You have cancer or are receiving treatment for cancer.
- You take medicines that suppress your immune system .
If you have an outbreak of shingles, you can help prevent the virus from spreading to other people. Cover any of your fluid-filled blisters with clothing. Keep your blisters clean, and avoid itching and scratching. Wash your hands frequently and do not spend time with immuno-compromised individuals until you are well.
Don’t Miss: How To Tell If You Have Shingles Without A Rash
Breast Cancer Screening Or Covid
As the greatest vaccination drive in history pushes ahead, an interesting wrinkle has emerged. The lymph-node swelling thats part of the immune systems healthy reaction to COVID-19 vaccines often shows up on routine breast-cancer screening scans. Thats complicating the work of breast-cancer specialists who factor in lymph nodes when determining whether breast cancer or other health problems may be at hand.
To learn more and for an expert recommendation on how women should proceed UCHealth Today touched base with Dr. Dulcy Wolverton, a CU School of Medicine radiologist and the section chief for Breast Imaging at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus. If youre in a hurry, heres the gist: get vaccinated as soon as you can. Heres how to get vaccinated at UCHealth. Try to schedule your breast-cancer screening before your vaccination. If thats not possible and youre not at elevated risk for breast cancer, delay your breast-cancer screening until about three months after your final COVID-19 dose. If youre at higher risk or have noticed a lump, come in for a screening.
Are Shingle On Scalp Contagious
Shingle on scalp or on other parts of the body is not contagious. What that means is that you cannot give it to someone else. However, the virus that causes chicken pox is highly contagious. The virus can be spread through physical contact with people who have not had chickenpox before or who were not vaccinated against the virus.
Remember, it is the virus that causes chicken that activates to cause shingles on scalp. Once infected with the varicella virus, your immune system releases antibodies that protect your body from future infections of the virus.
To reduce the risk of transmitting the virus from an infected person to those not infected, you need to reduce physical contact until the symptoms clear. Shingles without rash is however not contagious, It is however advised to reduce close physical contact with those not infected with the virus, especially pregnant women and those with weak or compromised immune system.
Also Check: Google Show Me What Shingles Look Like
When To See A Doctor
You’ll often have a good idea why a lymph node is swollen — you’ve got a cold, your tooth is infected, or you have a cut that isn’t healing well. If you can’t come up with an explanation, it may be time to get checked out.
Lymph nodes that are around 1/2 inch or bigger aren’t normal. They shouldn’t feel hard or rubbery, and you should be able to move them. The skin over them should not be red, irritated, or warm. And the swelling should go away within a couple of weeks. You should see your doctor if your lymph nodes appear abnormal.”
Other symptoms are also a reason to make an appointment:
But Call Your Doctor If The Swelling Doesnt Subside After A Few Days
According to Parikh, swollen lymph nodes are not one of the most common side effects, but its not one that should cause alarm. According to the CDC, the only instances in which you may need to contact your doctor or healthcare provider is if the redness or tenderness where you got the shot increases after 24 hours or if your side effects are worrying you or do not seem to be going away after a few days. And for more helpful tips from the CDC, discover why The CDC Doesnt Recommend This One Type of Face Mask.
Best Life
Recommended Reading: Does Humana Part D Cover Shingles Vaccine
Long Term Side Effects
In rare cases, the live shingles vaccine, Zostavax, can cause a skin rash or shingles.
The rash that occurs with shingles can affect any area of the body, but it often appears as a line of blisters that wraps around the torso.
Within a few days the blisters cluster, and they continue to form for several more days. The blisters can take 2â3 weeks to heal, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Other common symptoms of shingles include:
two shingles vaccines for adults: the recombinant zoster vaccine and the zoster virus vaccine .
You May Like: Steel Shingles Vs Standing Seam