Shingles is a virus that can be extremely painful, even frightening at times. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Therefore, anyone who has ever had chickenpox is susceptible to it. Most people have seen pictures of the rash associated with this disease. When it appears, it often presents as raised, red areas of skin that run in a strip along either the left or right side of the body. The rash is most commonly found on the torso. However, it is possible to develop a rash on the face or neck. It should also be noted that it is possible to develop shingles without coming down with a rash.
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What Is Shingles? If you’ve ever had the chickenpox as a child and believe you got over it, you’re only partially correct. While the itchy, blistery skin rash indicative of childhood chickenpox may be ancient history as far as you’re concerned, the virus that caused the infection did not disappear. Anyone who has had chickenpox still has the virus. It simply hides in the cells of one’s spinal nerves in a latent form and should not be a problem so long as that person’s immune system remains healthy. The problem arises, however, when one’s immune system becomes weakened or compromised. That is when the virus, known in medical terminology as varicella-zoster virus or VZV, may be reactivated. Awakened from its dormant state, VZV moves along the nerve fibers that travel to the skin, often causing severe pain to the nervous system and resulting in a distinctive rash. This viral infection is called shingles, also known as herpes zoster. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in three people can expect to acquire shingles in the course of their lifetime.
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Shingles often present as a painful rush around either side of your torso. This viral infection causes a stripe of blisters around the infected area. The varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, may reactivate years later. This virus often lies dormant within your nervous system once you recover from chickenpox. While the reason for this infection may be unclear, lowered immunity in older adults often contributes to the possibility of this infection. Older adults and individuals with weak immune systems are more prone to the disease, which can be very painful. Using vaccines lowers the chances of getting infected. Doctors also recommend early treatment to reduce complications and shorten the infection period.
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Shingles, a condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), is a painful skin disorder that usually occurs in people over the age of 60. The varicella-zoster virus is the same pathogen that causes chickenpox. If you have had chickenpox in the past, the virus can lurk inactively in your body for many years, only to activate again at a later date. An outbreak will usually last between 3 to 5 weeks. However, some effects can be long-lasting. Generally, you can only have an outbreak once, but some individuals have gotten it more than once. Why People Have Outbreaks It may seem strange that a disease experienced in childhood can lie in wait for many years, only to strike again later. But the varicella-zoster virus does precisely that, lying dormant in nerve cells in the body. As long as your body’s immune system remains strong, the virus stays dormant. But aging and other conditions can weaken the immune system, re-activating it. Symptoms include a raised rash, blisters, pain from the inflammation, fatigue, headache, and sometimes, fever.
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