Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash on your torso’s left or right side. The rash typically looks like a stripe on one side of your body, sometimes on one side of your face. Although shingles are not life-threatening, they can be painful and result in complications, including postherpetic neuralgia, vision loss, skin infections, and neurological problems. Dr. Clement Yeh recommends early treatment to shorten shingles duration and minimize the risk of complications.
What are the symptoms of shingles?
Shingles are commonly associated with pain, followed by a rash that develops into itchy blisters that typically scab over seven to ten days and clear up within two to four weeks. The scabs that form where the blisters were may leave some minor scarring. For some people, the pain can be severe and, depending on the location, can be mistaken for heart, lung, or kidney problems. Shingles pain takes different forms; it can be a constant dull or burning sensation or stabbing pain.
Some cases of shingles cause early symptoms a few days before the rash appears, including a headache, fever, a feeling of being generally unwell, and sensitivity to light.
When is a referral to the hospital necessary?
It is atypical for someone with shingles to be referred to a hospital, but your healthcare provider may recommend specialist advice if your diagnosis is uncertain, they suspect complications like meningitis, you’ve been diagnosed with shingles more than twice, or you have a weakened immune system. Persistent cases of shingles that don’t respond to treatment also require specialist advice. You may also need to see a specialist if shingles affect one of your eyes or if you are pregnant.
What causes shingles?
As previously mentioned, shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox. Many people develop chickenpox during childhood, but after the illness is gone, the virus remains inactive or dormant in the nervous system. Later in life, the virus may reactivate and move along nerve pathways to your skin, causing shingles. However, getting chickenpox does not necessarily mean you will develop shingles in the future. It is unclear why people develop shingles, but it is thought to be due to lowered immunity to infections as people advance in age. As such, this condition is common in older adults and individuals with a compromised immune system.
Risk factors for shingles
Anyone who has had chickenpox has the varicella-zoster virus and can develop shingles later in life. Previously, many adults in the United States had chickenpox during their childhood before the availability of vaccination that protects against chickenpox. The risk of developing shingles elevates with age; people over 50 years are commonly affected, and those over 60 are likely to have severe complications.
Diseases like HIV/AIDS that weaken your body’s defense system also put you at risk of developing shingles. Because low immunity puts you at risk of shingles, cancer treatments are also a risk factor for this condition. Medications that prevent the rejection of transplanted organs and the long-term use of steroids also put you at risk of shingles.
For further questions about shingles, consult your healthcare provider at Republic Spine and Pain.
