WHAT ARE SHINGLES HOW DO YOU TREAT SHINGLES AND A VACCINE FOR SHINGLES

You get an itchy even painful rash on your back. You think maybe you scratched yourself or something bit you. You look in the mirror and you see that on one side of your back you have a line of blisters and a rash along the line. Welcome to the wonderful world of Shingles.

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What are Shingles?



Shingles is a common name for a rash caused by the Chickenpox virus, a.k.a Herpes Zoster aka Varicella. Frequently the rash arises on one side of your body and seems to follow a line. This is because the Chickenpox virus is inside the nerves under the skin. When the Shingles "erupt" they follow the lines of the nerves.

Wow! Do I have Herpes?



Not all Herpes are the same. When people hear the word "herpes" they immediately focus on sexually transmitted disease. There is a big group of viruses called herpesviridae. Herpes Zoster(also called Varicella Zoster)and Herpes Simplex both belong to herpesviridae. But Herpes Zoster is not Herpes Simplex which is associated sometimes with an s.t.d..




What is the Big Deal About Shingles Anyway?



1.Well for one thing, the pain can definitely get on your nerves. (excuse the pun).It can be experienced as itching,numbness,tingling,etc.
2.A Herpes outbreak on the face is a medical emergency since if involves the eye it can damage vision.
3. Untreated Shingles can lead to Post Herpetic Neuralgia. This is a syndrome of intense pain and discomfort.



Check out also Recommendations for Flu Shot When and How to Get Flu Vaccination



How do they treat Shingles?

Shingles is treated with anti virus medicines. It is important to start the anti viral treatment as soon as possible after the start of Shingles. Zovirax and Valtrex are two frequently used medications for Shingles.



I have heard there is a vaccine for Shingles What about the vaccine?



First of all, if you already have Shingles you need the medication for Shingles. What about preventing Shingles? There is a relatively recent new weapon in the war on Shingles. "The shingles vaccine, Zostavax by Merck, was licensed in May 2006 after a study of more than 38,500 men and women 60 and older showed that it prevented about half of cases of shingles and reduced the risk of Post Herpetic Neuralgia by two-thirds". It still can't guarantee you won't get Shingles but if you do it will probably be a milder case of Shingles.

NINDS Shingles Information Page



"Until the unknowns are resolved, the vaccine is not recommended for those with immune systems weakened by disease or drug treatment, women who are pregnant or might be pregnant and people with active untreated tuberculosis. Nor should the vaccine be given to anyone who has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin or the antibiotic neomycin".

Vaccine for Shingles

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