Shingles

Shingles is a rash that is painful; It is cause by a reactivation of chicken pox virus, (Varicella Zoster another known word). There is treatment that can be given for the virus. Shingles usually show up in a band like rash, a strip or a small section on one side of the face or body. It is common mostly in a higher aged person or someone with a low immune system because of stress. Other things that can bring it on other than stress is Injury and certain medications.

Most people who get the Varicella Zoster or (shingles) will probably never get them again. Varicella-zoster virus is the cause of chickenpox and herpes zoster also known as the virus called Shingles. Chickenpox follows the exposure to the virus and it is usually a mild, childhood illness that does not last very long with characteristic exanthema. Approximately 1 in every 4000 children will get the virus VZV encephalitis; it is an acute neurologic disorder that can develop some types of complications.

In addition, immunocompromised children that may have or receive the following (those receiving chemotherapy for leukemia or those with advanced HIV infection) These children can develop disseminated VZV infection, which can be a potentially fatal complication for them. Once you have been infected the VZV remains dormant in the sensory nerve roots for life. Upon reactivation, the virus then begins to migrate down the sensory nerve making way to the skin, where it then begins to cause the characteristic painful dermatomal rash.

After resolution, many people continue to have the pain in the distribution of the rash (post herpetic neuralgia). Also, reactivation of VZV infection can cause a spectrum of a typical presentation, ranging from self-limited radicular pain without any rash to spinal cord disease with some weakness. FACTS: The vesicular eruption of VZV infection may be more difficult to diagnose in patients with darker skin.

VZV infection occurs with equal frequency in males and females After primary infection, zoster can occur at any age. However, the risk of zoster increases with age. The risk of postherpetic neuralgia also increases with advancing age. CAUSE’S . Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chicken pox starts up again in the body . After you get all better from having chickenpox, the virus then “ Sleeps” in your nerve root where it will remain until such an outbreak of shingles occur .

In some people the virus stays dormant forever, when in others the virus ” wakes up” when any type of stress, disease, or aging begins to break down and weaken the immune system…. Some medications may even trigger the virus to wake-up. It is not clear why this happens but after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles not chickenpox. You cannot catch Shingles from someone who has the virus, but there is a small chance that a person with the virus can spread it to someone whom has never had chickenpox or has received the vaccine.