Tuesday, March 26, 2024

What Do Shingles Look Like When They First Start

Benefits Of Impact Resistant Shingles

Shingles: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment with Dr. Mark Shalauta | San Diego Health

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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Stage : Tingling Burning Skin Sensations

The first stage of shingles may be marked by a burning sensation, numbness, or itchiness in the area where the shingles rash appears. This is known as the prodromal period.

Common places for the rash to develop include around the waistline, chest, or back, usually on one side of the body. It may also occur on one side of the scalp, face or neck, or on one arm or leg.

How Long Does It Take For Shingles To Progress

Shingles progresses into blisters over three to five days and begins to crust over after seven to ten days. The rash is preceded by a prodromal phase lasting 48-72 hours or longer, consisting of throbbing pain and numbness in the area affecting the nerve. Once the rash blisters, it can last another three to five days before the lesions scab over.

After the lesions crust over, it may take two to four weeks to heal completely. At this time, pain may still be present. The most painful stage of shingles is when you have fluid-filled blisters. This usually occurs three to five days after the rash first appears.

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Ringworm Causes An Itchy Red Circular Rash

Ringworm is a skin infection that, despite its name, is caused by a fungus, whereas the shingles rash is caused by a virus, according to the CDC. Ringworm can cause a red, itchy, circular rash on your skin. It may also cause scaly, cracked skin and hair loss. The rash can appear on any part of your body, and it spreads easily through skin-to-skin contact or contact with an item contaminated with the fungus, like dirty clothes or a shower floor. Some forms of ringworm can be treated with over-the-counter medication, while others must be treated with prescription antifungal medication.

Is The Shingles Rash Dangerous

The Inside Analysis!: What does shingles look like?

The shingles rash doesnt usually cause any long-term damage to your body. However, if your rash develops on your face or ears, it can cause long-term issues Ill explain the full risks in the section below.

No matter how minor your case of shingles you should still go see your doctor to get treatment for your shingles. Theyâll likely provide you with medication to ease your pain and help fight the virus.

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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.

Shingles Or Something Else

Small blisters that appear only on the lips or around the mouth may be cold sores, sometimes called fever blisters. They’re not shingles, but are instead caused by the herpes simplex virus. Itchy blisters that appear after hiking, gardening, or spending time outdoors could be a reaction to poison ivy, oak, or sumac. If you aren’t sure what’s causing your rash, see your healthcare provider.

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Whats The Cost Of A Hail Deductible

The cost of either a hurricane or hail/wind deductible is based upon a percentage of the properties insured value. Deductibles will range from 1% to 5% of the insured value.

These deductibles can add up quickly and having a metal roof decreases the chances that you will be out of pocket to pay for a portion of the roofs replacement cost.

If youre home has an insured value of $400,000 than your portion of the deductible would be a minimum of $4,000 and up to $20,000

An impact resistant, Class 4 rated metal roof will save you money if it prevents hail damage from occurring in the first place. It can also prevent or decrease the amount of damage caused by a hurricane.

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Functional Damage To Shingles

Shingles Rash Early Stages

In a previous blog, I mentioned functional damage of a roof system, and Id like to expound on that briefly. It is important to clarify that when a hail stone impacts a roof system it may or may not damage it. For instance if youve recently installed a class 4 hail impact resistant shingle on your home and your roof was impacted by 2-1/2 hail stones, there is a chance that your roof sustained no functional damage. However, if your roof is made up of a 10-year old class 4 shingle it probably did sustained damage. Ill share more on this in a moment, but for now lets describe what is functional damage and why.

There are two aspects of Functional damage that I will address in this blog. The first type of functional damage is caused from an ice impact created from a thunderstorm impeding the roof systems ability to shed water. Additionally, functional damage is described as the loss of life expectancy of the roof system. Both definitions of functional damage may be present on the roof.

However, if only one definition of functional damage applies to a roof system, then it would likely be the loss of life expectancy of the roof system. When identifying the diminutive ability of the roof to shed water, tears and punctures will be present on the roof system.

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Can You Still Develop Shingles If Youve Been Vaccinated For Chickenpox

Yes. Despite being vaccinated for chickenpox, you can still get shingles. No vaccine is 100% protective, and the effectiveness of vaccines lessens with time. However, people who get the chickenpox vaccine are significantly less likely to develop shingles later in life compared with people who never received the chickenpox vaccine. One recent 12-year study found that the number of shingles cases was 72% lower in children who had received the chickenpox vaccine compared with those who didnt.

How Long Is Shingles Contagious

Similar to chickenpox, shingles is a contagious illness. But, before we address how long you may be contagious, we need to talk about how shingles spreads which might actually surprise you.

“Shingles is indeed contagious, but it can only be spread to people who haven’t yet had chickenpox, or the chickenpox vaccine. In these cases, the shingles virus typically spreads via direct contact with the opened blisters of your rash. After being infected, a person doesn’t develop shingles, though he or she develops chickenpox,” explains Dr. Brown.

Since you can’t really know who is and who isn’t susceptible to chickenpox, it’s important to take safety measures if you have shingles.

“When you have shingles, you’re considered contagious until your open sores crust and scab over. This generally takes between 7 to 10 days,” says Dr. Brown. “Depending on where your rash develops on your body and where you work, you may be able to return to work before your shingles dry up.”

Before your rash dries up, Dr. Brown recommends the following to prevent spreading shingles to others:

  • Make sure your rash is covered with gauze
  • Limit interaction with other people if your shingles rash is on your face
  • Consult with your doctor about returning to work if you work in a medical setting or nursing home, as well as if you interact with people frequently while at work

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What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles

Shingles often starts with a burning, tingling, or painful sensation along one side of the torso or head. Within one to five days, a rash will appear. Within a few days, the rash will turn into fluid-filled blisters. The blisters will start to dry up about a week later, and will begin to disappear over the next several weeks. Some people only experience mild itching, but others have intense pain.

If you think you may have shingles, see your doctor as soon as possible, especially if you see blisters on your face or near your eye. Shingles can cause hearing or vision loss, especially if you dont get treatment for it.

No matter where your rash appears, you should seek medical treatment quickly. Your doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatments to help the blisters dry up and heal. This can reduce the duration of the outbreak and your discomfort.

No cure is available for shingles, but most people who have an outbreak get it only once.

Doing the following at home may help you to feel more comfortable:

  • Get lots of rest.
  • Use cool washcloths on your rash.
  • Take oatmeal baths.
  • Keep your stress to a minimum.

You should keep the rash covered and wash your hands often to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. Shingles isnt contagious, but you can give someone chickenpox while you have it.

Shingles Rash On One Side Of The Body

The Inside Analysis!: What does shingles look like?

If you have the rash on one side of the body when shingles first starts, then you may be asymptomatic. In fact, most people with the disease only develop one side. The rash is a cluster of fluid-filled blisters that appear in the band that runs around the waist. The Latin word shingles means belt. It may also appear on other parts of the body, such as the face and torso.

Shingles is a common viral infection that affects people of all ages, although it is more common in adults 50 and older. A weakened immune system can also trigger an outbreak. However, this virus does not cause an outbreak in someone else, unless that person has chickenpox. People with shingles are susceptible to the chickenpox virus because they have chickenpox, but it can also occur in people who have never had it.

People with shingles will often experience tingling, burning, or both in the affected area. Pain may range from mild to severe, and may be present for several days before the rash appears. This pain may interfere with daily activities and may persist for weeks after the rash has disappeared. The rash will generally fade on its own after three to four weeks, though some patients experience prolonged pain.

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You Cannot Get Shingles From Someone With Chickenpox

You cannot get shingles from someone with shingles or chickenpox.

But you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before.

When people get chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. It can be reactivated later and cause shingles if someone’s immune system is lowered.

This can be because of stress, certain conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy.

Stay Away From Certain Groups Of People If You Have Shingles

You cannot spread shingles to others. But people who have not had chickenpox before could catch chickenpox from you.

This is because shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus.

Try to avoid:

  • pregnant people who have not had chickenpox before
  • people with a weakened immune system like someone having chemotherapy
  • babies less than 1 month old unless you gave birth to them, as your baby should be protected from the virus by your immune system

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Chickenpox Is Caused By The Same Virus

The same virus, varicella zoster virus, causes both chickenpox and shingles.

Chickenpox typically causes an itchy rash that spreads over the entire body, as opposed to just one side of the body or face like shingles. More than 99 percent of Americans born on or before 1980 have had chickenpox, per the CDC. If you dont know if you had chickenpox, check with your family doctor, who can review your records.

What Can Be Mistaken For Shingles

Shingles on the Hand Even After Shingles Shot | Auburn Medical Group

Shingles can sometimes be mistaken for another skin conditions, such as hives, psoriasis, or eczema. Share on Pinterest A doctor should always be consulted if shingles is suspected. The characteristics of a rash may help doctors identify the cause. For example, hives are often raised and look like welts.

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The Shingles Rash Usually Occurs On One Side Of The Body Or Face Most Commonly On The Trunk

Its easy to mistake a shingles rash for another health condition that affects the skin. The shingles virus typically causes a painful rash and blisters, which can resemble many other skin conditions psoriasis, eczema, and hives among them. However, there are a few signs that your rash is more likely to be shingles than something else.

To get shingles, you must have had chickenpox. Shingles, or herpes zoster, occurs when the chickenpox virus reactivates after lying dormant in the body. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 out of 3 people in the United States will get shingles in their lifetime. While your risk of getting shingles increases as you age, anyone can get it if they had chickenpox, notes the CDC.

About half of all shingles cases occur in adults age 60 or older, and the risk of getting shingles becomes much greater by age 70, according to the National Institute on Aging.

Shingles Rash In The Eyes

Ophthalmic shingles, or herpes zoster ophthalmicus , is when the shingles rash is in and/or around the eye. It is a severe variant that affects 20% of people with the infection.

If you develop a shingles rash near your eye, contact your healthcare provider right away.

lauraag / Getty Images

HZO usually appears within two to four weeks after a shingles rash starts. People who have a compromised immune system, such as those with HIV/AIDS, are at higher risk for developing this.

All parts of the eye can be affected. For example:

  • You can develop blisters around the eye that may cause the eyelids and surrounding area to swell.
  • The corneaâthe transparent part over the front of the eyeâcan be affected, causing calcification .
  • Blood vessels in the eye could become more pronounced blood flow to the eye could be impacted.

To reduce your risk of long-term eye complications, contact your healthcare provider right away if you have a shingles rash on your face.

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Shingles Affects The Spine

If shingles affects the spine, the most effective treatment is early and continuous pain control. A primary care doctor or emergency room doctor will likely start with an antiviral medication and light analgesics. If these dont control pain, a doctor specializing in pain management can help. Pain specialists are trained to treat postherpetic neuralgia, a common symptom that lasts months after shingles first starts.

People with a weakened immune system are at higher risk for shingles. The virus is kept in check by the bodys immune system, but increased stress allows it to multiply. The virus then moves along the nerve to the skin and produces painful blisters. The blisters are prone to spreading the virus to the next person infected. Because of this, individuals who are already suffering from shingles should avoid contacting unvaccinated people.

Herpes zoster can affect the spine at any time, but it usually starts in a specific area. It usually follows the nerve root from the spine, which is called the dermatome. This nerve innervates the spine and the face. If the infection spreads to the spinal cord, it can cause a stroke. If shingles is severe in the face, it can even spread to the brain.

Is Chickenpox Contagious

Pin on Chicken

Chickenpox is very contagious. Most kids with a sibling who’s infected also will get it , showing symptoms about 2 weeks after the first child does.

Someone with chickenpox can spread the virus:

  • through droplets in the air by coughing or sneezing
  • in their mucus, saliva , or fluid from the blisters

Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before the rash starts until all the blisters are crusted over.

Someone with shingles can spread chickenpox to people who haven’t had chickenpox or the vaccine.

Because chickenpox is so contagious, a child who has it should stay home and rest until the rash is gone and all blisters have dried. This usually takes about 1 week. If you’re unsure about whether your child is ready to return to school, ask your doctor.

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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

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