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Shingles (infection)
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral disease caused by a virus similar to that which causes chicken pox. Persons affected by the disease experience painful skin rash with blisters that occur along a particular nerve path.
797 Questions
What medications can you take for shingles?
You will be given a script for Endep and/or Lyrica. Endep is an anti depressant and Lyrica (very expensive) is used for people with epilepsy. Sounds strange, but both of these medications target nerve endings which is where the pain from shingles comes. Be warned, both of these medications make you feel very tired.
What is the cause of a splotchy red rash all over the body?
Dermatology, (the section of medicine that deals with skin problems) is so complicated that it would be impossible to give a particular reason for a rash over the internet. There are so many types of "splotchy red rashes" that there is no way for anyone to determine the cause without someone actually *looking at* the rash. Having said that, there are a few *basic* sources of rashes that will be listed here, but you *must* see a doctor for a true reason! Possible causes: Exposure to something you're allergic to like: A medication you're taking A plant or animal you're allergic to Eating something you're allergic to Also, there are a few disease processes that cause rashes such as: Measles of any type "Fifth" disease and so on.
Will Lamisil cream treat ringworm?
According to this web-site I found, it does help with ringworms. Since ringworms is a fungal infection and Nystatin ointment is an anti fungal, it figures it would but this site says YES!
http://www.drugs.com/cdi/nystatin-cream.html
Can you get chickenpox if you had shingles?
Once you have had chicken pox you are immune from this virus for life however you may catch a variation of your particular chicken pox virus but I am unsure how common that occurance would be, you would have to be very unlucky. You may develop shingles later in life depending on your age, health etc, If you are sick and rundown you are more likely to develop shingles. A painful blistering spread along the nerve endings (for example on you lower back). If those blisters open up and another person comes into contact with them it is possible to infect that person with Chicken Pox as it is still the one and same virus.
Can shingles cause you to be excessively tired?
The answer of course is, "it depends". Usually the fatigue will reduce and then disappear as the breakout does, much like it does with that other viral infection you have already experienced, the flu. In a minority of cases however, the fatigue may last for weeks or even months.
Is shingles a virus or bacteria?
Shingles virus is commonly known as chichken pox virus.
When chicken pox virus stays latent in the body(in the nervous system) and becomes reactivated after few years, it is referred to as shingles. Shingles occurring in adults has more complications than chicken pox.
What do you use to make shingles for a house?
To make shingle for a model house you could crunch some shells and apply using adhesive.
Is shingles vaccine effective after shingles outbreak?
Can you take the shingles shot while having shingles
Yes, in a way. It is caused by the virus which causes Chicken Pox, and someone susceptible to Chicken Pox can get that from someone with Shingles. But if you've already had Chicken Pox, you won't catch Shingles. It's an opportunistic virus hiding out in your nervous system just waiting for your immune system to give it a chance. And if you've had the Chicken Pox vaccine, you should not be susceptible to either one.
How long should you stay off from work shingles?
In theory, you could go back to work as soon as you feel well enough. I felt reasonably ok after about 4 days, despite having a red rash over my face & glandular swelling. However, this will vary from person to person. Some people will have more pain than others & may not feel well for several weeks. It's worth noting, however, that until your blisters have stopped weeping, you will be contagious & may give your colleagues chicken pox, if they have not previously had the disease.
Can you get chickenpox if you have shingles?
Yes, you can exercise when you have chickenpox if you have no fever and feel OK. You should stay isolated until all bumps and sores are scabbed over, so that you don't spread the infection to anyone else. You should also avoid getting overheated, as it may increase itching.
Shingles arises from stress, either from lack of proper, restful sleep or depression and trauma in one's life. These traumatic occurences can bring the body's immune defenses down and if one was exposed to 'Chicken Pox' as a child, it comes back due to the above occurrences as 'Shingles.' It is also called Herpes Zoster, and it can occur over again if the above conditions which bring the immune defenses down are not corrected. The virus has remained dormant in the nerves being rekindled again, and usually starts out as a very bad back ache about a week prior to a bright red rash formation, which usually occurs on the backside, buttocks and could spread along the nerve endings all the way down to the legs. It sometimes can occur near the eye and could be serious if the lesions form there. Medical attention is required as soon as possible and drugs such as Acyclovir are given to shorten the duration of the occurence, which if untreated with these drugs, could last for a few weeks. I'm sorry to say, that it is quite painful and you will have severe pain during, and lingering pain some time after the lesions disappear. I had them 3 times in my lifetime, so I know what you may be experiencing, but now my life is less stressful and it has been years since they have occured. Try to eliminate the stress in your life, get proper sleep and take Lysine supplements. This helps to prevent an occurence. Stay away from foods that are rich in Arginine such as nuts and chocolate, because Arginine 'feeds' the Herpes Zoster virus. There is plenty of info about Herpes Zoster online. Just use your favorite search engine. Good luck to you. Take Care Aspirin or Tylenol may help relieve some of the pain but your doctor may prescribe a more potent pain killer until the Shingles subside. Incidentally, there is now a Shingles vaccine just recently approved by the FDA, but I believe it only will work for people who had chicken pox and have NOT had Shingles yet, and want to PREVENT it from occurring. Talk to your doctor about it. Again, good luck!
What are red round marks on skin?
I guess, you should visit dermatologists about that, but for the meanwhile, you can help yourself with your skin by using lotions or such with Phytessence Wakame, Cynergy TK and CoQ10 can help to rebuild collagen, in fact they can stimulate keep it natural. That will help your skin condition make it better. http://www.goodhealthyskin.com/
Are there any side effects from shingles vaccine?
Shingles, a painful rash caused by the same agent that causes chicken pox, varicella zoster virus (VZV), commonly occurs in people over 50 who have not previously had chicken pox. If you had a vaccine for shingles (Herpes Zoster) accidentally, or after a possible but undiagnosed case of shingles, there should be little risk of problems, since all the vaccine does is promote production of antibodies, which that person would already have from having had shingles (or chicken pox). If in doubt, call your doctor.
How long does the shingles vaccine last?
You will be protected for life against that exactsubtype/strain of the flu virus that was contained in the vaccine (or that you caught which caused you to be ill), and you will likely also have some cross-over protection from very similar strains.
However, viruses do mutate easily, and if later you are infected with another strain or mutation of the virus, and if your immune system does not recognize it any longer because it has mutated to a different form, then you may have no immunity to that new strain. This is one reason we need to take annual vaccines for the rapidly mutating common seasonal flu strains.
Can you get shingles under your arm pit?
Yes it is possible to get shingles on various parts of the body. This is due to the chicken pox virus (varicella virus) lying dormant along those particular nerve endings waiting for you to become run down, unwell or low and then they go to work and give you an outbreak of shingles. Make sure you get some treatment to speed up the healing process and make it more comfortable for you whilst you're suffering.
Is there a treatment for the shingles?
There is no cure for shingles, but treatment may shorten the length of illness and prevent complications. Treatment options include:
- Antiviral medicines to reduce the pain and duration of shingles.
- Pain medicines, antidepressants, and topical creams to relieve long-term pain.
antibiotic treatment
Shingles is caused by a virus called Herpes zoster, sometimes years after having chicken pox; no one knows what causes the virus to re-activate but is often preceded by stressful situations or a weakened immune system.
Over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines (Benadryl) and topical numbing creams (Lidocaine cream), "Nupercaine or Benadryl jell can relieve the itching and pain.
Cold tap water compresses can be applied to sooth the blisters and prevent infection. Once the blisters have opened using mild soap and water and petroleum jelly will prevent the skin from becoming too dry or inflamed.
Some doctors now prescribe antiviral medications; acyclovir (Zovirax), valacyclovir (Valtrex), and famciclovir (Famvir). If started as soon as the flair up starts, they can decrease the pain and duration of the outbreak. Corticosteroids are used to decrease inflammation.
A severe outbreak may need to be treated with pain medication if OTC Tylenol or Ibuprofen is not helpful see your doctor.
The weeping blisters contain the virus and is contagious to individuals who are susceptible to the chickenpox virus, so skin to skin contact with anyone who could catch the chicken pox, including new born babies, needs to be avoided.
The following are treatments other sufferers have tried, please check with your physician before using a home remedy: Acupuncture, Brookskin liniment, soaking in a bath of Epsom salts, fresh juices from an aloe plant can be applied as often as needed, Calamine lotion, Destine (diaper rash cream, Butt paste (diaper rash cream) bathing in or a paste made from Oatmeal bath to be soothing.
How does herpes zoster differ from varicella zoster virus?
When a person gets chickenpox, the rash will go away but the virus is still in the body and becomes dormant. If the virus becomes active again in the nerves, it is then called herpes zoster or shingles. This usually occurs when a person becomes older, but only in a small percentage of the population. Herpes simplex causes the cold sores or genital herpes.
Does the shingles vaccine contain a live virus?
The vaccines for the swine flu virus are made both ways. The nasal spray type of swine flu vaccinations contain the live, but weakened, virus and are usually not used by those who have immuno-suppression through disease, disorders or medications. The injected vaccines in the flu shots contain inactivated "dead" virus particles.
How long after the shingles shot do you have immunity?
It can vary person to person depending on the health of their immune systems.
- For trivalent seasonal flu vaccine (including those containing the H1N1/09 swine flu vaccine), it usually is under two weeks from the time of the injection for adults to develop full immunity.
- For the A-H1N1/09 "Swine Flu" monovalent vaccine, immunity in otherwise healthy adult individuals averages 8 to 10 days after the vaccination.
- For children under 10, a second flu vaccination is required approximately one month after the first one, then within 2-4 weeks after the second vaccination, they can have achieved full immunity.
- For immuno-compromised patients, there may be a diminished response from their slower functioning immune system, which might leave them unable to achieve full immunity. This may also happen in some people who are temporarily on specific medications that suppress the immune system (such as transplant patients). In both situations, those people should continue to observe all the preventive precautions and measures they used prior to the vaccination, in case they do not develop full immunity. Those with suppressed immune systems may also need to take antiviral medicines like Tamiflu, to help them prevent infection, if they are exposed to someone with the flu.
For adults who are otherwise healthy it takes about 3 weeks after the vaccination to gain full immunity. Children under 10 need a series of two vaccinations since their immune systems are immature. They get the second one approximately one month after the first, then about a month after the second vaccination they will have built immunity. Infants under 6 months old can not be vaccinated, their immune systems are not ready for introduction of pathogens yet.
Can you get a tattoo if you have the shingles?
Chlamydia is an STD. it's only transmitted from an infected partner, not a needle getting tattooed.
Yes. The virus hides in the nerve cells near the spine and when activated, travel down the nerves to the skin. The act of moving causes an irritation and burning sensation along the nerve tract.
Can you get shingles from your daughter if you have already had shingles?
Well, some people can get chicken pox again even though they had them as a kid. I guess the same goes for shingles.
Answer
Strangely, if you have shingles you could pass on chicken pox to those who haven't ever had it. Shingles comes to those who have had chicken pox--often as a result of stress or other health event that drops immunity.
Shingles is an infection of nerves and the area of skin around them. It is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox.A
According to the UK National Health Service, the symptoms of shingles is as follows:B
An episode of shingles usually starts with a tingling sensation which will ultimately turn into a localized band of pain in the affected area. This may be a constant mild or burning sensation and can vary from mild to severe in intensity. In the next stage a rash appears which develops into itchy blisters. The fluid in these blisters contains the virus and as such is infectious. Ultimately the blisters will scab over which may leave scarring.
The whole episode of shingles infection commonly lasts from 2 - 4 weeks.B
A personal account of shingles has been given by a previous answerer and is summarized below:
A co-worker had shingles on her cheek. She hugged me goodbye when I left the job. The next thing I knew I came down with shingles! Basically what shingles felt like was that the nerve endings in my skin had exploded. They became raw and full of liquid and hurt like you wouldn't believe. The first sign was a feeling like my skin was "crawling." This must have been the main nerve around my waist that was spreading the shingles. I had 7-8 big patches of exploding nerve endings. It takes about 4-6 weeks to get over them. I was very tired and thought my head was going to explode the first day or two. I still have the scars. When you hear the word SHINGLES run as fast as you can the other way!
Sources:
A Introduction to Shingles: UK National Health Service Website
B Symptoms of Shingles: UK National Health Service Website
What is shingles? Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection of the nerve roots. It causes pain and often causes a rash on one side of the body, the left or right. The rash appears in a band, a strip, or a small area. Shingles is most common in older adults and people who have weak immune systems because of stress, injury, certain medicines, or other reasons. Most people who get shingles will get better and will not get it again. What causes shingles? Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus "sleeps" (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus "wakes up" when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox. You can't catch shingles from someone else who has shingles. What are the symptoms? Shingles symptoms happen in stages. At first you may have a headache or be sensitive to light. You may also feel like you have the flu but not have a fever. Later, you may feel itching, tingling, or pain in a certain area. That's where a band, strip, or small area of rash may occur a few days later. The rash turns into clusters of blisters. The blisters fill with fluid and then crust over. It takes 2 to 4 weeks for the blisters to heal, and they may leave scars. Some people only get a mild rash, and some do not get a rash at all. It's possible that you could also feel dizzy or weak, or you could have long-term pain or a rash on your face, changes in your vision, changes in how well you can think, or a rash that spreads. If you have any of these problems from shingles, call your doctor right away. How is shingles treated? There is no cure for shingles, but treatment may help you get well sooner and prevent other problems. Call your doctor as soon as you think you may have shingles. The sooner you start treatment, the better it works. Treatment may include: * Antiviral medicines, sometimes given with steroid medicines, to help you get well sooner and feel less pain. * Medicines to help long-term pain. These include antidepressants, pain medicines, and skin creams. Good home care can help you feel better faster. Take care of any skin sores, and keep them clean. Take your medicines as directed. And use over-the-counter pain medicines to relieve pain. Avoid contact with people until the rash heals. While you have shingles, you can spread chickenpox to people who have never had chickenpox.
It is charecterised by multiple vesicles in a reddish background ,affecting only one half of the body - more particularly, only one ,or at the most, two nerve segments or dermatomes.The whole segment will be painful and the pain persists long after the vesicles dry up(Post-Herpetic Neuralgia) It is charecterised by multiple vesicles in a reddish background ,affecting only one half of the body - more particularly, only one ,or at the most, two nerve segments or dermatomes.The whole segment will be painful and the pain persists long after the vesicles dry up(Post-Herpetic Neuralgia)
Shingles has another name, which is herpes zoster or as zoster. Herpes zoster is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe.
shingles are something like say you peed the bed the bacteria stay on your body and creates little nasty bumps called SHINGLES
"Shingles" (or Herpes Zoster) is a condition caused by the Varicella-Zoster virus. Varicella-Zoster virus also causes "chickenpox".
After a person becomes infected with the Varicella-Zoster virus - usually developing "chickenpox" as a result - their body's immune system will typically fight off the viral infection, causing an eventual resolution of the symptoms. Afterwards, however, rather than being completely removed from the body, the virus becomes dormant, and lives in the dorsal root ganglia (bundles of nerve bodies just outside the spinal cord).
Later on, usually in later life, and under some sort of stressor that causes an insult to the immune system, the virus becomes active again, typically in a single dorsal root ganglion. Then the virus travels through the nerves that extend from that dorsal root ganglion, and causes a chicken-pox-like rash in the area of the body and especially the skin that is innervated by the nerves from that dorsal root ganglion. An area of skin innervated by a single dorsal root ganglion is called a dermatome. The hallmark of "shingles" is a painful rash in a specific region of the skin (a dermatome). This rash is nearly always on one side of the body, and is limited to a single dermatome.
