Shingles is a painful viral infection that causes a distinctive rash and can have long-term effects on vision and the nervous system. It is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus and can be treated with antiviral medication and corticosteroids. A shingles vaccination is available, and exposure to chickenpox can help prevent shingles.
Shingles is a viral infection that is often accompanied by a very distinctive rash. In addition to being quite painful, shingles can cause serious complications that can have a long-term impact on a patient’s vision and nervous system. A case of shingles is usually easy to recognize when the rash emerges, and there are several ways to treat shingles so it’s less severe. If you experience a shingles rash on your face, it is extremely important to see a doctor.
To have shingles, a patient must first have had chickenpox. After a chickenpox infection, the virus lies dormant in the nervous system. Shingles emerges when it’s reactivated due to stress, a declining immune system, or another cause. It begins as a painful condition of the nervous system; the patient may feel tingling, sensitivity to touch, and itching for several days before the shingles rash appears.
The rash spreads along the lines of the nervous system, forming distinct bands. The skin starts to look reddish and irritated, and then starts to blister. From the time the rash appears until the blisters open and crust over, the patient is considered contagious. People who have never had chickenpox will get it if they are exposed to the patient. After several weeks, the rash disappears, although the patient may experience long-term painful symptoms of the nervous system.
While the rash is present, the pain and itching can be treated with soothing compresses and baths. In some cases, antiviral medications will be used to shorten the duration of the rash. These drugs must be taken within 72 hours of the rash appearing to be effective. For extreme inflammation and pain, corticosteroids may be used. It’s important to keep the skin clean and dry, to reduce the risk of skin infections and serious inflammation, and people should avoid contact with contaminated clothing and bedding. If a shingles rash appears on the face, aggressive treatment is needed, as it can cause eye damage.
Shingles is also known as shingles, a reference to the virus that causes it. A shingles vaccination is available, but exposure to someone infected with chickenpox can help prevent shingles from appearing as well. Doctors speculate that exposure to chickenpox promotes the formation of antibodies, thus helping the body fight off the virus before it stimulates a shingles infection.
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