Shingles

Around 10% to 15% of herpes zoster patients may experience postherpetic neuralgia after the rashes disappear. Postherpetic neuralgia is a condition that causes long-term nerve pain once the blisters from shingles have been treated. It occurs as a result of the damaged nerve fibers sending mixed pain signals to the brain.

Other possible long-term side effects of shingles are

• Neurological disorders – Some cases of shingles may cause brain inflammation or encephalitis, facial paralysis, or hearing and balance problems as a result of the virus affecting certain nerves.
• Vision loss – If the shingles develop on the face and spread around the eyes, it can cause eye infections and possibly lead to loss of vision.
• Skin infections – A bacterial infection can occur if you have an untreated shingles rash.

The symptoms of shingles include the appearance of rashes on one area of the body or face.

They commonly develop as a single stripe of blisters covering one side of your torso or around the waistline. The rashes appear localized as a result of the viruses traveling and sending signals to specific nerves, and it doesn’t always spread all over the body.

The shingles rash may be accompanied by other signs such as:

• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Upset stomach
• Severe fatigue
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Severe pain, burning, numbness, or tingling on one side of the body
• Skin redness on the affected area

In some cases, shingles commonly begins with an intense pain that can be confused with other medical conditions affecting the heart, lungs, or kidney. Other individuals can only develop shingles pain as their primary symptom without getting any skin rashes.

Any individual who has experienced chickenpox can have herpes zoster virus. Additionally, those who have not had the chickenpox vaccine are at high risk for contracting the virus and developing shingles. Other factors that can increase your chances of having shingles are:

• Being of advanced age – People who are over the age of 50 have weaker immunity which is why they are more prone to experiencing the symptoms of shingles.
• Medical history – Individuals who are diagnosed with certain diseases such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, pulmonary disease, and HIV/AIDS are at an increased risk for acquiring varicella-zoster viruses.
• Stress and depression – Chronic stress and untreated depression are also shown to decrease the effectiveness of the chickenpox and shingles vaccine. Individuals who are diagnosed with this condition have lower immune system responses and are more susceptible to herpes zoster symptoms.
• Cancer treatment – Radiation therapy and chemotherapy can trigger the inactive virus and develop shingles.
• Medications – Taking certain drugs and prolonged use of steroids can increase your risk of shingles.

Most doctors can diagnose shingles based on your medical history and a visual examination of the existing rash and blister. In some cases, tissue scraping or culture testing of the fluid from the blisters may be done to get a more accurate diagnosis.

If you suspect that you have shingles and experience severe pain before the rashes, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider as quickly as possible. Early treatment is recommended to manage the symptoms and reduce the severity of the episode.