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Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, Anyone who's had chicken pox can develop this eruption. The same virus that causes chicken pox causes shingles.. The virus remains in a dormant state in certain nerve cells of the body and then reactivates, causing shingles. About 20 percent of the population is affected at some time during their lives.
What makes the virus to "awaken" and cause problems in normal, healthy people is unclear. People whose ability to ward off disease is weakened are more prone to it Trauma or possibly stress may trigger an attack.
Early signs of a shingles outbreak are often vague, and can easily be mistaken for other illnesses. The first sign of an attack can be an isolated pain or numbness in a major nerve in or under the skin or a "shooting" pain around the trunk or down the arm or leg. Mild flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever and upset stomach, may also occur.
Rash appear on the skin from one to 14 days later, in a band on one side of the body or the face. The rash turns to fluid-filled blisters in two to four days. They continue appearing for several more days, and then turn from clear to cloudy in appearance as white blood cells attack the virus. Eventually all the blisters crust, scab and heal, most often within a few weeks. In most people, the condition clears on its own in a few weeks and seldom recurs.
Treatment consists of pain relievers as well as cool compresses to help dry the blisters
Vision and hearing problems are less common, but serious, and can occur whenever shingles appears on the face. If this happens, you should see a doctor immediately. If shingles affects the eye, it can cause temporary or permanent blindness through infection of the cornea or retina.
The virus that causes zoster can be passed on to others, but they will develop chicken pox not shingles. and only if they have not had chicken pox. People with can only transmit the virus if blisters are broken and someone who never has had chicken pox or who already is ill is close by. Newborns or those who already are ill or immunosuppressed, such as cancer patients, are at the highest risk..
Shingles is one of the conditions an osteopath will bear in mind in making a diagnosis if you consult with a band-like pain or associated flu-like symptoms
Some times patients have post-herpetic neuralgia – nerve pain remaining after the rash has cleared. This sometime responds to osteopathic treatment.
The most common chronic complication of herpes zoster is postherpetic neuralgia. About 20 per cent of shingles patients get it Postherpetic neuralgia lasts for at least 30 days and can continue for months to years.Affected patients usually report constant burning, lancinating pain that may be radicular in nature. Even the slightest pressure from clothing, bedsheets or wind may elicit pain.
People who develop shingles after age 50 and who have severe pain and rash during shingles have the greatest risk for developing postherpetic neuralgia. Most cases (19 out of 20) of postherpetic neuralgia resolve within a year.
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