Tuesday, March 26, 2024

What Does Shingles Look Like On Hands

Who’s At Risk For Shingles

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

Anyone who has ever had chickenpox can get shingles, but the risk increases with age. People older than age 60 are up to 10 times more likely to get shingles than younger people. Other factors that increase your risk include:

  • Some cancer medicines
  • A weak immune system from illnesses such as cancer or HIV

A quarter of adults will develop shingles at some point, and most are otherwise healthy.

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.

How Do You Prevent Shingles

You can lower your risk of shingles and its complications by getting the vaccine for shingles. The Food and Drug Administration approved the shingles vaccineShingrix for people:

  • ages 50 and older
  • people 18 years and older whose immune systems are weakened or compromised by a medical condition
  • people 18 years and older taking immune-suppressing medication

Shingrix is 97% effective at preventing shingles in people with healthy immune systems, ages 5069 years, and 91% effective for adults 70 and older. The vaccine also reduces the risk of severe shingles and complications of shingles in all adults.

You can reduce your risk of chickenpox and the subsequent development of shingles by avoiding exposure to a person with chickenpox and getting vaccines for both of these conditions, as your healthcare professional recommends.

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Stage : Rash Outbreak

The second stage of shingles is an eruption of the rash itself, typically 34 days after you first experience the tingling and burning sensation.

The rash typically appears as a band or strap. It includes fluid-filled blisters and lasts 24 weeks. The rash at this stage can be painful.

Some people experience a minor rash or skin irritation. For other people, the rash can cover a larger area. Flu-like symptoms may also occur at this stage.

How Long Does It Take For Shingles To Progress

shingles on palms of hands

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.

Also Check: What Shingles Rash Looks Like

Other Health Problems Due To Shingles

Some people develop other health problems after the shingles rash clears, which include:

Postherpetic neuralgia : This is the most common. Occurring where you had the rash, PHN can cause constant tingling, burning, and pain. For others, the pain comes and goes.

Whether the pain is constant or intermittent, it can go on for a long time. You can have PHN for months, years, or the rest of your life. There is no way to know how long it will last.

The pain caused by PHN can become so severe that it interferes with your life, making everyday activities painful. A musician may no longer be able to play an instrument. Some people cannot walk comfortably. It may be difficult to bathe or get dressed. You may have trouble sleeping.

How to prevent PHN: If you have shingles, you can greatly reduce your risk of PHN by getting treated for shingles within 3 days of developing the rash.

Get treated for shingles within 3 days of developing the rash

Taking antiviral medication within 3 days of getting the shingles rash can: Reduce your risk of developing PHN Ease symptoms of shingles Clear the shingles rash more quickly

Other health problems that can develop after the shingles rash clears include:

  • Blindness or loss of some eyesight

Although rare, some people die of shingles.

Treatment can prevent these complications.

You can find out if you have a greater risk of developing shingles at, Shingles: Causes.

Images

Prevent The Spread Of Germs:

  • Wash your hands often. Wash your hands several times each day. Wash after you use the bathroom, change a childs diaper, and before you prepare or eat food. Use soap and water every time. Rub your soapy hands together, lacing your fingers. Wash the front and back of your hands, and in between your fingers. Use the fingers of one hand to scrub under the fingernails of the other hand. Wash for at least 20 seconds. Rinse with warm, running water for several seconds. Then dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel. Use hand sanitizer that contains alcohol if soap and water are not available. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands first.
  • Cover a sneeze or cough. Use a tissue that covers your mouth and nose. Throw the tissue away in a trash can right away. Use the bend of your arm if a tissue is not available. Wash your hands well with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer.
  • Stay away from others while you are sick. Avoid crowds as much as possible.
  • Ask about vaccines you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about your vaccine history. He or she will tell you which vaccines you need, and when to get them.

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What Are Complications Of Shingles

Shingles can have complications that last long after the rash has disappeared. Complications can also occur if the infection has not been treated appropriately:

  • Inflammation of the brain
  • fever and/or headache

See your doctor as soon as possible if you are experiencing any shingles symptoms, as the sooner you start treatment, the more effective it is.

Is There A Treatment For Shingles

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

Several antiviral medicines, acyclovir , valacyclovir , and famciclovir , are available to treat shingles. These medications should be started as soon as possible after the rash appears and will help shorten the illness and decrease how severe the illness is. Pain medicine may also help with pain caused by shingles. Call your provider as soon as possible to discuss treatment options.

Also Check: Can You Catch Shingles From Someone Else

How Does It Occur

If you have had chickenpox, you are at risk for later developing shingles. After you recover from chickenpox, the chickenpox virus stays in your body. It moves to the roots of your nerve cells and becomes inactive . Later, if the virus becomes active again, shingles is the name given to the symptoms it causes.

What exactly causes the virus to become active is not known. A weakened immune system seems to allow reactivation of the virus. This may occur with normal aging, immune-suppressing medicines, or another illness, or after major surgery. It can also happen as a complication of cancer or AIDS or treatment of these illnesses. Chronic use of steroid drugs may trigger shingles. The virus may also become active again after the skin is injured or sunburned. Emotional stress seems to be a common trigger as well.

What Is Shingles What Does Shingles Look Like

Shingle is a disease characterized by a painful, blistering skin rash that affects one side of the body, typically the face or torso. This condition may also be referred to as herpes zoster, zoster, or zona. The word shingles comes from the Latin word cingulum, which means belt. There are approximately 1 million estimated new cases per year in the U.S., with almost one out of every three people developing shingles at some point in their lifetime. Though most people who develop shingles will only have a single episode, there are some who develop recurrent cases of shingles. Shingles are more common in older individuals and in those with weakened immune systems.

The characteristic rash of shingles typically appears after an initial period of burning, tingling, itching, or stinging in the affected area. After a few days, the rash then appears in a stripe or band-like pattern along a nerve path , affecting only one side of the body without crossing the midline. The rash erupts as clusters of small red patches that develop into blisters, which may appear similar to chickenpox. The blisters then break open and slowly begin to dry and eventually crust over.

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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.

What Are The Risk Factors For Shingles

Shingles Rash Pictures, Symptoms, Vaccine Facts

In the United States, 1 in 3 people will develop shingles in their lifetime. There are about 1 million cases a year. A number of factors increase your risk of reactivating the dormant varicella zoster virus and developing shingles including:

  • Being an older adult with a history of having had chickenpox who has not had the shingles vaccination. Half of people ages 85 or older will have developed shingles.
  • Having a condition that weakens the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS, , chemotherapy, or an organ transplant
  • Having a weakened or impaired immune system, which also increases the risk for having recurring episodes of shingles

The risk of shingles is 10 times greater in people ages 80 and older than people ages 10 and younger. Much of the increase in shingles risk occurs around age 50, which is why the vaccine was originally tested in and approved for people ages 50 and older.

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Do I Need To Stay Away From Children Pregnant Women People With Cancer Or Anyone With A Weak Immune System After I Get The Zostavax Vaccine

According to the CDC, it is safe to be around babies and young children, pregnant women or anyone with a weakened immune system after you get the Zostavax vaccine. Even though the Zostavax vaccine contains a weakened live varicella zoster virus, the CDC says there is no documented case of a person getting chickenpox from someone who has received the Zostavax vaccine.

What Does A Shingles Rash Look Like At First

  • What Does a Shingles Rash Look Like at First? Center
  • The typical shingles red rash or blisters occur after pain, itching, and tingling. They are usually limited to one side of the face and body.

    Shinglesrash and blisters appear on one side of the face extending to the scalp and ear.

    If the rash involves the ear, it can lead to hearing loss, imbalance, and weakness of the facial muscles. Shingles rash on the scalp causes pain while combing or brushing and bald patches. Shingles can occur in the mouth and are usually very painful, causing pain while eating and change in taste.

    • Shingles of the eye and forehead

    Rash and blisters appear around the eye, over the eyelids and one side of the forehead, extending to the tip of the nose. Patients present with burning or throbbing in the eye, with watering of the eyes, swelling, and blurred vision.

    Pain may be present after the rash disappears due to nerve damage but eventually improves. Without treatment, it can lead to corneal damage and vision loss.

    • Shingles on the waist and back

    Rash and blisters appear on one side of the waist and back in a stripe pattern, extending up to the lower back.

    • Shingles on the buttocks

    Shingles rash and blisters appear on the buttocks, usually on one side.

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    What Does Shingles Look Like

    My shingles rash looked like someone had put a cigarette out on my eyelid. Frankly, I bet that would be less painful.

    You would have thought by now I wouldve caught on but I never really realized that young people can get shingles. It just never crossed my mind. If I had simply done an internet search of my symptoms, it wouldve been obvious what I had.

    According to Healthline:

    You may begin to notice pink or red blotchy patches on one side of your body. These patches cluster along nerve pathways The rash quickly develops fluid-filled blisters similar to chickenpox. They may be accompanied by itching. New blisters continue to develop for several days. Blisters appear over a localized area and do not spread over your whole body.

    Shingles also commonly has a rash that wraps around half of your waist, which people sometimes call the shingles belt or shingles girdle. Lovely. Id never heard of that, but I am also not over 70, and I assume these terms are more popular in that age bracket.

    Developing shingles on your face, like I did, is common. Its also common to get them on your neck and torso though there are lots of other possibilities. And no matter where they look truly ugly and disgusting. More importantly, those blisters hurt. Its deep down nerve pain.

    Heres what my shingles looked like around my eye :

    So I didnt catch all those initial symptoms of shingles, but my doctor did.

    Yeah, youve got shingles, my doctor told me.

    Who Should Not Be Vaccinated With Shingrix

    How to treat shingles

    You should not 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.
    • Are somewhat ill or very 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.

    Read Also: Can You Have Shingles On Your Buttocks

    Shingles Risks And Pregnancy

    Pregnant women are susceptible to shingles. Fortunately, shingles in pregnancy is very rare. The antiviral medications described previously are considered safe to use in pregnant women, as are most pain-relieving drugs. Women should not take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen in the later stages of pregnancy, but acetaminophen is considered safe. Having chickenpox during pregnancy has the potential to cause birth defects, depending upon when in the pregnancy the infection occurs. The risk of birth defects is believed to be lower with shingles than with primary chickenpox infection.

    IMAGES PROVIDED BY:

  • Wikipedia â Courtesy of Fisle
  • Image reprinted with permission from Medscape.com, 2012. Dr. Dancewiez/CDC
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    What Do Shingles Scabs Look Like

    Shingles scabs develop when your blisters dry up. The blisters that form on the rash usually start to scab within 7 to 10 days. These scabs are usually dry and flat and can be red, brown, or yellowish in color.

    Since shingles blisters affect just one side of the body, the scabs will only appear on one side as well. This is different from most other skin conditions, which typically affect both sides of the body.

    Other common skin disorders might cause peeling or white patches . Shingles scabs usually dont have these characteristics.

    The following images show what shingles scabs look like:

    Read Also: What Does Shingles Look Like At Start

    Shingles Symptoms: After The Rash

    Just like the blisters of chickenpox, the blisters in shingles eventually burst, and the area starts to ooze. The blisters will then crust over and heal. Before the blisters crust over, the VZV virus can be spread to anyone who is not immune to chickenpox through vaccination or previous infection. Herpes zoster spreads when a person who lacks immunity has direct contact with the blisters of someone who has the virus. The scabs eventually fall off, and the rash disappears. Sometimes scarring may result.

    Should I See A Doctor For Shingles

    Herpetic Whitlow Pictures

    It is usually worth seeing a doctor to be certain about the diagnosis and to see if you need treatment or not. Ideally you should see a doctor as soon as possible after the rash appears.

    The rash of shingles can be very painful. So even if the doctor doesn’t think you need an anti-shingles medicine, they may be able to give you stronger painkillers than those you can buy over the counter from the chemist.

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