What Exactly are Shingles?
by Guest Author on May.30, 2009, under Guest Articles
Without suffering from shingles before, you wouldn’t really know what the disease is all about. Shingles, or herpes zoster as it is otherwise known, can more or less be described as an adult form of chicken pox. You could say that shingles is the reactivation of chicken pox in adults. As opposed to the rash children experience with chicken pox, shingles only affects a small area of the skin.
The symptoms of shingles include a rash that follows the paths of certain nerves. As a rule, the nerves are found in the face, scalp, neck or body.
It is usually the over fifties who are affected by shingles. As is common with the chicken pox, most individuals only get one outbreak of shingles in their live time. In the unlikely event of another outbreak, the disease normally manifests in the same spot.
Other symptoms apart from the rash occur. Shingles on the face can affect the nose and eyes. Shingles that affect the eye can actually lead to permanent blindness, so it is very important to visit your doctor right away if you suspect you have shingles on your face.
During the rash, you may get the same symptoms children get when the catch chicken pox. The early stages including fever, discomfort, headache, upset stomach, and an itching or burning around the area where the rash will appear. The affected area may also start hurting a few days prior to the rash appearing. In some rare occasions, a person may not break out in a rash at all.
If you do break out, you will notice a line of red spots in the middle of a swollen area|A line of reddish spots appear at the centre of the swollen region|The center of the swollen area may have a line of red spots}. The spots will blister and, if popped, will ooze clear fluid. Eventually, these blisters will tend to develop a crust. They may also bleed, itch or hurt. Some people may still experience pain even when the rash disappears.
Medical Disclaimer: Nothing contained in this article is intended to be used as medical advice and it is not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, nor should it beused for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for your own health professional’s advice.
