| After a week of being sick, I'm getting better. But for Alex, he's getting sick too and it's not my fought though. He some how got a viral infection called shingles on the left side of his forehead. Alex and I think that he got shingles because he was under a lot of stress from exams and club and possibly me [he was worried about me when I was sick]. I hope he gets better. As for me, I'm feeling much better. I still have a little cough here and there. Read about shingles from www.webmd.com What is shingles?Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection of the nerve roots. It causes pain and a band of rash that spreads on one side of your body. Shingles is most common in older adults and people who have weakened immune systems because of stress, injury, certain medications, or other factors. What causes shingles?Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the virus (varicella-zoster virus) that causes chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus lies dormant (inactive) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant for the rest of their lives. In others, the virus reactivates when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system.1 The cause of reactivation of the virus is unclear; however, once it does reactivate, it causes shingles, not another case of chickenpox. Most people who get shingles will not get the disease again, although it does come back in a few people. What are the symptoms of shingles?Early symptoms of shingles include: - Headache.
- Sensitivity to light.
- Flu-like symptoms without a fever.
You may then feel itching, tingling, or extreme pain in the area where a rash will develop several days later, commonly on your back or neck. The rash progresses into clusters of blisters along the path of the nerve. The blisters fill with fluid and eventually crust over. It takes 2 to 4 weeks for the blisters to heal, although some scars may remain.2 Complications of shingles can occur and include: - Postherpetic neuralgia, persistent pain that lasts longer than 1 month after the rash heals.
- Disseminated zoster, a blistery rash that spreads over a large portion of the body and can affect the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, joints, and intestinal tract. Infection may spread to nerves that control movement, which may cause temporary weakness.
- Cranial nerve complications, if shingles affects the nerves originating in the brain. Complications can include inflammation or blockage of blood vessels.
- Herpes zoster ophthalmicus, a shingles rash on the forehead, cheek, nose, and around one eye that could threaten your sight. This type of shingles needs immediate treatment.3
How is shingles treated?There is no cure for shingles, but treatment may shorten the length of illness and prevent complications. Treatment may include: - Antiviral medications, sometimes in combination with corticosteroids, to reduce the pain and duration of shingles.
- Pain medications, antidepressants, and topical creams to relieve long-term pain.
Who gets shingles?You must have had chickenpox, even a mild case, to get shingles. You have an increased risk of developing shingles if you:1 - Are older than 50.
- Have an autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system attacks its own tissues as though they were foreign substances.
- Have another medical condition or stress that weakens the immune system.
You cannot develop shingles if you have not had chickenpox. Isn't it cool? |
