What is Shingles?What causes Shingles?

Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that affects the nerve roots. It is characterized by pain and eruptive emergence of bands spanning one side of the body. Shingles is a disease more common in adults and those with weakened immune systems of stress, Injury, certain medications or other factors.

Shingles is a reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, a type of herpes virus causing chickenpox (Chickenpox). Once a person has chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in nerve roots until, in some people, it is reactivated. When the virus becomes active, the person does instead of varicella zoster.

Any person who has had chickenpox (even a mild form) can be shingles. People with weakened immune systems are vulnerable to reactivation of the virus that causes shingles. There are many factors that depress immunity illness, injury, old age. Some drugs slow down the immune system, for example, drugs that destroy cancer cells (chemotherapy).

Exposure to shingles will not cause disease, but if a person has chickenpox and shingles is exposed to chicken pox can. A person with shingles can transmit chickenpox if it comes in contact with fluid from the rash vesicles. A study shows that the virus can be spread through the air and the painful shingles blisters. Has applied a liquid absorbing film seems to be effective.

When the virus that causes chickenpox causes shingles to reactivate it. Early symptoms include: headache, Sensitivity to light and other symptoms similar to those of flu, Except for fever. Ill person may experience itching ears or noise pain large area where the rash appears. A few days later, the rash appears in the form of tape. This eruption as the band is sure sign of shingles.

Rash caused by shingles causes more pain than itch. Skin sensitivity and ensure nerve roots going to each side of the body. When the virus reactivates, it goes along the nerve in the area of skin on which he serves as the band. Therefore the rash appears on one side, usually the chest or back and sometimes on the face around one eye. It may appear more lanes of eruption on the body.

Shingles develops in stages:

Prodromos (Before the rash appears)

- Pain, burning, itching, noises in the ear, numbness in the affected area, all of which appear a few days before the rash appears, discomfort occurs on one side of the body, most commonly on the chest or back, but it may occur abdomen, head, face, neck, hand or foot

- The flu-like symptoms (usually without a fever): chills, stomach pain or diarrhea, they can occur just before or during eruption occurrence

- May occur in lymph nodes swelling and tenderness.

Step forward (With blistering rash appears)

- Is a rash consisting of small blisters filled with fluid, appeared on the red one body part, the fluid in blisters is clear at first but may become cloudy in 3 or 4 days

- Rash may occur on the forehead, cheek, nose, and around one eye (herpes zoster ophthalmicus), it can affect vision if the patient does not receive prompt treatment

- Extreme pain, described as "stuck needles into skin rash may accompany

- Is the most common complication of shingles. It takes at least 30 days and continues for months or years, symptoms are:

- Burning sensation, stinging pain in the area affected by the recent eruption

- Persistent pain that may last years

- Extreme sensitivity to touch

- Pain associated with neuralgia post herpetic affects most head or chest, and makes it difficult to feed, sleep and daily activity of the patient. It can also lead to depression.

Shingles may be confused with other diseases with similar symptoms (rash and pain). Such diseases are: infection with herpes simplex or appendicitis.

Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox and. After chickenpox, the virus remains stuck in the nerve tissue. As you age, illness or stress which weakens the immune system can lead to reactivate virus appears as shingles.

At first the patient has headaches and flu-like symptoms (usually without a fever), sensitivity to light, and is itching and severe pain in the area where the rash appears. The pain usually occurs 1-3 days before the eruption. Between 3 and 5 days with liquid vesicles appear that burst and scab. Full cure takes between 2 and 4 weeks but can remain permanent scarring.

Most people who have had shingles will not be disease, but there are people from the disease reappear.

Post herpetic neuralgia: Pain does not go in a month, but persist for months or even years, post herpetic neuralgia affects between 10% si15% of people with shingles. This happens to people over 50 years or those with system immune weakened by other diseases (diabetes, HIV infection). People with severe pain and rash during the disease have increased risk of developing post herpetic neuralgia.

- Disseminated Shingles is a rash with blisters on a greater portion of the body and can damage the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, Joints, and intestinal tract. Infection may contain nerves that control movement, causing a temporary weakness.

- Impairment of cranial nerves (Nerves originating in the brain). Complications of this kind include:

- Inflammation, pain and loss of sensation in one or both eyes, the infection can affect vision, rash may occur on one side of the nose or on top of

- Intense ear pain, rash around the ear, mouth, face, neck, scalp and facial nerves in the absence of controlled movements (Ramsay Hunt syndrome) can occur hearing loss, dizziness and noise ears, loss of taste, mouth and dry eye can also be symptoms

- Inflammation and blockage of blood vessels can cause strokes

- Depigmentation of the skin and scars

- Bacterial infection of the vesicles

- Muscle weakness in the affected area before, during, and after the episode of shingles.

Consult a doctor immediately if:

- Is a sign of shingles (pain or vision problems) that affects the forehead, nose, eye or eyelid

- Symptoms of shingles (headache, stiff neck, dizziness, weakness, hearing loss or changes in thinking and action) that affects the central nervous system

- Pain skin extended for one side over the eruption area

- Suspected bacterial infection of the skin in the same area with the rash of shingles or if not healed in 2-4 weeks

- If pain is not the face or facial muscles may move

- Shingles is suspected: that today there are medications relieve pain and irritation, the more it starts so early treatment with better results.

Once suspected shingles occurred, the doctor should be consulted immediately. Early treatment with antiviral drugs helps reduce pain and prevent complications (disseminated herpes zoster, post herpetic neuralgia).

If pain persists for more than a month after the skin lesions heal, consult a doctor to see if it appeared post herpetic neuralgia.

In some cases, shingles can lead to complications. Treatment is specific to each case.

Post herpetic neuralgia

Is persistent pain for months or years after healing eruption skin. Certain medications, such as anticonvulsant, antidepressants and opioids reduce pain. Most cases of post herpetic neuralgia resolve within a year. In some cases surgery is used for this type of neuralgia and consists in cutting the nerves, thereby blocking the pain signals.

Disseminated shingles

Blistering rash covers a larger portion of the body and can damage the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, joints, and intestinal tract. Treatment includes antiviral and antibiotics to stop infection.

Ophthalmic shingles

The rash appears on the forehead, cheek, nose, and around one eye, causing vision problems. Treatment in this case must come to an ophthalmologist and may include rest, cold compresses, and antiviral drugs.

If the virus affects the cranial nerves serious complications may occur on the face, eyes, nose and brain. Treatment depends on the nature and location of complications.

There is no way to prevent shingles. Anyone who has had chickenpox, shingles can make to an older age. To avoid making the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles later by vaccination against chickenpox. There is a possibility that the vaccine to stimulate immunity to shingles in those who had chickenpox as children or adults who have had shingles. Studies in adults with prevention of shingles vaccine continues.

If a person has chickenpox, that person should avoid contact with a sick person. Fluid in blisters is contagious, and exposure to it can cause chickenpox (not shingles) in people who have had chickenpox.

A person with shingles should avoid contact with others until the blisters heal. It is very important to avoid contact with people with special risk, such as:

- Pregnant women, children, babies and everyone had chickenpox

- A person has another disease

- A person with weakened immune system can not fight infection (diabetes, Infection HIV).

A study shows that the virus can be spread through the air and the painful shingles blisters. Has applied a liquid absorbing film seems to be effective.

Medicines help decrease pain and discomfort caused by shingles, shorten the duration of symptoms and prevent the spread of disease. Drugs reduce the chances of complications (disseminated herpes zoster neuralgia and postherpatica). Early treatment is important because complications are serious and resistant to treatment. For example, 40% -50% of people with post herpetic neuralgia do not respond to treatment.

Medication Choices

Drugs used to treat shingles during its active period include:

- Medications to relieve pain (aspirin or ibuprofen)

- Antiviral drugs, reduce pain and disease duration

- Corticosteroids, in combination with antiviral medicines, reduces pain and disease duration

- Antibiotics applied to the skin, which prevents infection vesicle.

Drugs used to treat post herpetic neuralgia:

- Pain medications, aspirin or ibuprofen

- Tricyclic antidepressants

- Application topical patches Lidocaine

- Anticonvulsants such as gabapentin

- Corticosteroids such as prednisone

- Injections to block nerve transmission

- Opiates, like codeine and morphine.

Note!

For some people, drugs to reduce the pain enough to keep control of pain caused by shingles or post herpetic neuralgia.

A new drug called pregabalin, was approved to treat pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia. Testing showed that it's faster and reduces long-term pain. This medicine will soon find in pharmacies.