What Is The Outcome For Someone Who Has Shingles
Most people get shingles once, but its possible to get it again.
If you have a healthy immune system, the blisters tend to clear in 7 to 10 days. The rash tends to go away completely within 2 to 4 weeks. The pain may last longer, but usually stops in 1 or 2 months.
For some people, the pain will last longer than the rash. When it does, its called postherpetic neuralgia , which can come and go or be constant. PHN can last for months, years, or the rest of your life. Treatment can help reduce the amount of pain you feel.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you continue to have pain. Treatment can help you feel more comfortable.
For anyone who has a shingles rash, the right self-care can help ease your discomfort. Youll find out what dermatologists recommend at, Shingles: Self-care.
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ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention . About shingles. Page last reviewed 10/17/2017. Last accessed 4/1/2019.
Dooling KL, Guo A, et al. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Herpes Zoster Vaccines. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018 67:103-8.
Madkan V, Sra K, et al. Human herpes viruses. In: Bolognia JL, et al. Dermatology. . Mosby Elsevier, Spain, 2008: 1204-8.
Straus SE, Oxman MN. Varicella and herpes zoster. In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatricks Dermatology in General Medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008: 1885-98.
If Ive Been Vaccinated For Chickenpox Can I Still Develop Shingles Later In Life
Unfortunately, yes, despite being vaccinated for chickenpox, you can still get shingles. No vaccine is 100% protective and the effects of vaccines lessen 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 did not.
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How Long Is Shingles Contagious
Shingles is not contagious. But if someone comes into contact with the rash at a certain stage, they may contract the varicella-zoster virus and develop chickenpox. If they have chickenpox, shingles can develop later in life.
To prevent the virus from being transmitted, keep shingles rashes covered. Cover the rash from when the blisters appear to when they crust and scab over. According to the , this usually takes 7 to 10 days.
The rash will usually clear after 2 to 4 weeks.
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Can You Catch Shingles
Shingles is not contagious. You cant catch it from someone. But, you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles. So, if youve never had chickenpox, try to stay away from anyone who has shingles.
If you have shingles, try to stay away from anyone who has not had chickenpox or who might have a weak immune system.
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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 someones immune system is lowered.
This can be because of stress, certain conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy.
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What Does Shingles Look Like
Shingles looks as painful as it sounds. Red patches of skin covered in bumps eventually erupt into fluid-filled blisters that ooze before eventually drying out and crusting over. The infected bands of skin typically wrap around one side of the bodyleft or right. Shingles mostly appears on the torso, face, and neck, but it has been known to pop up on an arm or leg.
People with weakened immune systems often have shingles that stray from the typical band-like pattern. Their shingles may be more widespread.
People with severe cases of shingles may see permanent changes in the pigmentation of their skin once their blisters scab over and fall off.
What Are Complications Of Shingles
Though shingles often resolve without any major problems, several potential complications can arise from shingles.
- Postherpetic neuralgia : This is the most common complication of shingles. PHN is characterized by persistent pain and discomfort in the area affected by shingles. The pain can last for months to several years after the rash has cleared up. This complication is thought to occur because of damage to the affected nerves. The pain can sometimes be severe and difficult to control, and the likelihood of developing postherpetic neuralgia increases with age. This chronic post-herpetic pain can sometimes lead to depression and disability. In people 60 years of age and older with shingles, postherpetic neuralgia will develop in approximately 15%-25% of cases. It rarely occurs in people under 40 years of age. Timely treatment with antiviral medication during a shingles outbreak may help reduce the incidence of developing postherpetic neuralgia. If postherpetic neuralgia develops, there are various treatment options available including topical creams such as capsaicin , topical anesthetic lidocaine patches , antiseizure medications such as gabapentin , pregabalin , tricyclic antidepressant medications, and opioid pain medications. Intrathecal glucocorticoid injections may be useful for select patients with postherpetic neuralgia who do not respond to conventional medications and treatment measures.
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Is The Zostavax Vaccine Still Being Used
Yes. The CDC, however, recommends Zostavax for adults age 60 and older, but not routinely for people aged 50 to 59. Zostavax is given as a single-dose shot versus the two-dose shot for Shingrix. Zostavax is less effective than Shingrix in preventing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia .
You can consider Zostavax if you are allergic to Shingrix or if Shingrix is unavailable because of supply shortage and you want some immediate protection from a possible case of shingles and/or postherpetic neuralgia. Because its a weakened live vaccine, it may be dangerous if you have cancer, HIV, or take steroids, chemotherapy or other medications that suppress your immune system. Ask your healthcare provider if the Zostavax vaccine is an option for you.
What Should You Expect If You Get Shingles
Shingles can be a very painful condition. If you think you have the symptoms of shingles, see your healthcare provider right away. Starting antiviral medications early can ease your discomfort and end symptoms earlier.
A better approach to shingles is to take action and do what you can to lessen your risk of getting it. If you’ve never had shingles in the past, talk to your healthcare provider about getting the shingles vaccine. If youve never had chickenpox, talk with your healthcare provider about getting the chickenpox vaccine.
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What Does Shingles Look Like 11 Shingles Pictures Of Rashes
Do you have an itchy red rash? Think you might have shingles?
Iâll show you shingles pictures to help you figure out if you have the shingles rash and what stage its in. Iâll also provide pictures of especially extreme cases and discuss what to do if you have one of these more dangerous rashes.
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How Can Shingles Be Treated
- Get The Vaccine: informative yet approachable guide available to you by linking to it at: https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/shingles.
- Antiviral drugs can shorten the attack. Acyclovir tablets/cream are examples. They are only effective in the first few days of symptoms. As such, it is important to see your doctor for an early diagnosis once symptoms appear.
- Pain-killers and rest can help mitigate the pain, as well as anti-inflammatories and a cool-compress.
- A bacterial infection may occur as a complication to the infection. It will likely require antibiotic intervention. Involve a specialist if there are any issues involving the eyes. He may need to prescribe eye drops.
- While antiviral drugs can help prevent an attack, they are also equally useful at preventing postherpetic neuralgia, and also shortening the duration of the attack.
- If you do experience postherpetic neuralgia, applying an over the counter anaesthetic ointment such as lidocaine. Follow this by a doctor prescribed topical analgesic cream which can help mitigate the pain. Antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and pain-killers can also be prescribed by your physician on a case by case basis.
- Live varicella-zoster vaccines are accessible for those at high risk for chickenpox. We do not recommend it for regular innoculation for children. While highly uncommon, those that have received the vaccine can transmit chickenpox to those in close contact with them.
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What Causes Shingles Herpes Zoster
Once you have contracted the chickenpox virus, the virus can stay dormant in the nerves nearest the spinal cord or nearest the head and neck. The virus may not ever become active again. However, if it does, it will multiply and spread through the nerves until it reaches the skin. Once the virus reaches the skin the shingles rash will appear.
The only way to get shingles is a past infection of chickenpox. Only about 20% of infected people will ever get shingles in their lifetime.
There is no real reason why the virus could become active again. Although there are factors that can increase the likelihood of its occurrence:
- The elderly are more at risk for shingles Shingles Herpes Zoster.
- Physical and emotional stress can provoke a reaction.
- A weakened immune system due to an illness such as HIV infection, leukemia, or lymphoma.
- Any kind of treatments that suppress the immune system, such as radiotherapy for cancer, chemotherapy, steroids, and any medications used to prevent organ rejection.
Shingles Signs Symptoms And Complications
Pain in one area of the body and a rash with blisters are very common in shingles.
While shingles is very rarely life-threatening, it can cause a painful rash anywhere on your body.
It usually appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around one side of your torso, or in some cases on one side of your face, neck, or around one eye.
There is a vaccine available for people ages 50 and older as well as for people ages 18 and older who are immunocompromised that works to prevent shingles.
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Can Shingles Be Passed On To Others
You cant catch shingles from another person with shingles, but the virus responsible for chickenpox can be passed on by someone with shingles to a person who has not had chickenpox or been vaccinated against it. This can happen when a person comes into contact with the fluid from the blisters. To prevent passing the virus on, keep the rash covered with clothing or a dressing and always clean your hands after you touch the rash or change any dressing.
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Types Of Rashes That Can Be A Sign Of Covid
In the beginning days of the pandemic, there was focus on three main signs of COVID-19: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. But as experts began to better understand the disease, it became clear that there are many health changes that could indicate someone has the virusnew loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, and headache just to name a few. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists more than 10 symptoms that may signal a COVID-19 infection. The list is not exhaustive, though, and the CDC says it will continue to update the list as they learn more about the disease.
One such potential sign of COVID-19 that isnt included on the list is skin rashes.
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According to a recent study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, there is significant association between skin rashes and a positive COVID-19 swab test result. Researchers made that determination by looking at information from 336,847 people in the UK who had uploaded their health history, including any COVID-19 test results and symptoms, to the COVID Symptom Study app. The app data showed that, among those who had a positive swab test result, 8.8% also reported skin rashes.
To better understand the length and timing of these skin symptoms, the researchers then looked at the results of an independent survey on skin symptoms related to COVID-19 that 11,544 people had completed.
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Am I At Risk For Shingles
Everyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for developing shingles. Researchers do not fully understand what makes the virus become active and cause shingles. But some things make it more likely:
- Older age. The risk of developing shingles increases as you age. About half of all shingles cases are in adults age 60 or older. The chance of getting shingles becomes much greater by age 70.
- Trouble fighting infections. Your immune system is the part of your body that responds to infections. Age can affect your immune system. So can HIV, cancer, cancer treatments, too much sun, and organ transplant drugs. Even stress or a cold can weaken your immune system for a short time. These all can put you at risk for shingles.
Most people only have shingles one time. However, it is possible to have it more than once.
What Are The Risk Factors For Shingles
In the United States, 1 in 3 people will develop shingles in their lifetime, and there are about 1 million cases a year in the country. Older adults who had chickenpox but do not have the shingles vaccine can often have a higher risk of reactivating the varicella-zoster virus and getting shingles.
Other factors that increase your risk include:
- conditions that weaken the immune system, such as HIV, cancer, chemotherapy, or an organ transplant
- weakened or impaired immune system, which also increases the risk for having recurring episodes of shingles
The risk of shingles is usually 10 times greater in adults who are more than 60 years old than in children younger than 10. Much of the increase in shingles risk occurs at around 50 years old.
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Could It Be Shingles
If youre an older adult and experiencing a blistery rash, the most likely answer is that youve got , a.k.a. herpes zoster, which affects one in three people in their lifetime, according to the CDC. Shingles is whats known as a reactivation virus that usually affects older adults, says Dr. Jones Lopez. Basically, once youve had chickenpox, the varicella zoster virus stays in your body. After the initial infection, the virus goes into dormant state for potentially decades, he says. Much later in life, when your immunity goes down, it can reactivate as shingles.
Unlike a chickenpox rash, the shingles rash is usually confined to a specific area of the body and appears in a single band, rather than spreading indiscriminately. It typically happens somewhere on the chest or back, says Dr. Jones-Lopez, although the head and other parts of the body can sometimes be affected. The key thing that distinguishes the shingles rash is that it doesnt cross the midline. If it spreads across your body, its not shingles. For example, if youve got a rash on left side of your face but another on the right side of your back, you can probably rule out this illness.
In addition to a rash , you may have some pain, itching, or tingling on your skin. You may also have flu-like symptoms . Like chickenpox, shingles rashes may itchbut they are mostly known for causing pain.
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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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.
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.
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Can You Have A Mild Case Of Shingles
The severity of shingles depends on various factors, such as age of the patient, general health condition of the patient, and the part of the body where shingles develops. For some people, the symptoms are mild with mild pain and itching. Whereas other patients may present with intense pain, itching, and complications.