Shingles

Shingles Is A Form Of Nerve Pain

Shingles is a type of nerve pain caused by a viral infection involving the nerve endings in the skin. Shingles occurs after a previous infection with the varicella-zoster virus (also known as VZV) is reactivated. Varicella-zoster is the same virus that causes chicken pox.

The virus that causes shingles "hides" in a dormant state in the roots of nerves that control sensation. For reasons that are unclear, the virus becomes reactivated in about 20 percent of the population. The virus travels along a sensory nerve into the skin, which causes the rash - and the pain - that has become known as shingles disease.

It's believed shingles disease can be triggered by stress, advancing age, a weakened immune system or combinations of these things.

Normally, the rash heals and the nerve pain goes away in 3 to 5 weeks. The lesions do not leave scars.

Shingles can be an extremely serious disease for anyone with a weakened immune system, such as someone who is undergoing cancer treatment or has an HIV infection. Shingles is also a significant danger to anyone who has received an organ transplant and is taking drugs that suppress the immune system.

Curiously, shingles itself is not considered contagious, but someone who has the shingles virus can pass it on to someone who will then develop a case of chickenpox (but only if they've never had chickenpox before). Someone with chickenpox, however, cannot give anyone shingles.

Identifying shingles symptoms

Shingles symptoms include a red, painful, blister-like skin rash. Numbness and a tingling sensation are also shingles symptoms. The rash often follows the same path as a nerve, and may appear in a row-like formation. Shingles usually only appears on one side of the body, particularly the face or torso.

Shingles symptoms may also be accompanied by neuralgia, which is a sharp, jabbing, repetitive pain along a nerve path. The pain can occur with the slightest touch, or even from the air of a mild breeze.

Shingles treatment

The discomfort from shingles disease can be relieved by antiviral medications like acyclovir, valcyclovir, or famcyclovir. These drugs may also help reduce a painful after-effects of shingles known as postherpetic neuralgia.

Treatments for postherpetic neuralgia includes steroids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and topical agents. For more, click on shingles treatment.

Also see shingles prevention.