Do not ignore painful rash, it could be herpes zoster
Jul 24, 2007
HERPES zoster (shingles) is a painful skin rash caused by the varicella zoster virus (herpes varicellae) that causes chicken pox. Usually, the chicken pox virus leaves the skin and moves along the nerve paths to the roots where it hibernates for many years.
HERPES zoster (shingles) is a painful skin rash caused by the varicella zoster virus (herpes varicellae) that causes chicken pox. Usually, the chicken pox virus leaves the skin and moves along the nerve paths to the roots where it hibernates for many years. The virus can reactivate under certain circumstances, such as stress, immune deficiency (from HIV/AIDS), chemotherapy, advanced cancer, old age and children who have had chicken pox within the first year of their lives.
Once activated, it travels along the same nerve path to the skin, where it manifests as shingles. Sometimes more than one nerve is involved, resulting into a big area being affected.
Eventually, the blisters pop and the area starts to ooze, then crust over and heal.
Note that the herpes virus that causes shingles and chicken pox is not the same as the sexually transmitted herpes genitalis or herpes labialis oris that causes mouth sores.
Progress
The first sign of herpes zoster is a burning sensation, pain and appearance of small red patches of rash that soon develop into blisters three days after.
The rash is accompanied by a fever and enlarged lymph nodes. These blisters burst and turn into sores, which gradually scab over and fall off after two to three weeks.
Shingles is often very painful. Occasionally, the pain may be present without blisters.
The weak and the elderly tend to get persistent pain even after the affected body parts have healed.
How do I know its shingles? Suspect shingles if there are certain trend of skin rashes and blisters on a person with a medical history of chicken pox. Sometimes a scrap from the blisters can be used to identify the virus much as a blood sample can be used to confirm the diagnosis.
What can be done?
Keep the rash uncovered and avoid scratching to minimise infections. Contact a health expert to give you a lotion to apply onto the affected area to reduce irritation. Apparently, treatment is of no use if the rash has been there for more than two days.
It is better to consult a physician who may have to treat additional complications, such as bacterial infections of the rash, high body temperature, rash involving the eyes, the top of the nose, sores that take longer to heal, persisting pain when the rash has healed off and other illnesses.
The eyes and top of the nose may be affected resulting in scarring of the cornea and reduced vision. Shingles in the face may lead to temporary deafness, facial paralysis and reduced sense of taste.
Shingles may leave an intensive painful sensation long after the symptoms have subsided.
How can it be prevented?
Herpes zoster is contagious during the blister formation stage and difficult to prevent. Therefore, avoid contact with people who have chicken pox and herpes zoster.
A person who had chicken pox will not contract the virus again from someone else, but has the potential to develop shingles later in life. Shingles is less common in vaccinated healthy people compared with those who have had chicken pox during childhood.
mugarrajk@doctor.com
0772444526
Once activated, it travels along the same nerve path to the skin, where it manifests as shingles. Sometimes more than one nerve is involved, resulting into a big area being affected.
Eventually, the blisters pop and the area starts to ooze, then crust over and heal.
Note that the herpes virus that causes shingles and chicken pox is not the same as the sexually transmitted herpes genitalis or herpes labialis oris that causes mouth sores.
Progress
The first sign of herpes zoster is a burning sensation, pain and appearance of small red patches of rash that soon develop into blisters three days after.
The rash is accompanied by a fever and enlarged lymph nodes. These blisters burst and turn into sores, which gradually scab over and fall off after two to three weeks.
Shingles is often very painful. Occasionally, the pain may be present without blisters.
The weak and the elderly tend to get persistent pain even after the affected body parts have healed.
How do I know its shingles? Suspect shingles if there are certain trend of skin rashes and blisters on a person with a medical history of chicken pox. Sometimes a scrap from the blisters can be used to identify the virus much as a blood sample can be used to confirm the diagnosis.
What can be done?
Keep the rash uncovered and avoid scratching to minimise infections. Contact a health expert to give you a lotion to apply onto the affected area to reduce irritation. Apparently, treatment is of no use if the rash has been there for more than two days.
It is better to consult a physician who may have to treat additional complications, such as bacterial infections of the rash, high body temperature, rash involving the eyes, the top of the nose, sores that take longer to heal, persisting pain when the rash has healed off and other illnesses.
The eyes and top of the nose may be affected resulting in scarring of the cornea and reduced vision. Shingles in the face may lead to temporary deafness, facial paralysis and reduced sense of taste.
Shingles may leave an intensive painful sensation long after the symptoms have subsided.
How can it be prevented?
Herpes zoster is contagious during the blister formation stage and difficult to prevent. Therefore, avoid contact with people who have chicken pox and herpes zoster.
A person who had chicken pox will not contract the virus again from someone else, but has the potential to develop shingles later in life. Shingles is less common in vaccinated healthy people compared with those who have had chicken pox during childhood.
mugarrajk@doctor.com
0772444526