What is shingles?
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash anywhere on your body. It typically looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or right side of your torso. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox – the varicella-zoster virus. If you had chickenpox, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life, sometimes reactivating as shingles.
Although shingles is not life-threatening, it can be very painful. Early treatment can help to shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complication.
What causes shingles?
Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox – the varicella-zoster virus. If you had chickenpox, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life, sometimes reactivating as shingles. However, not everyone who has had chickenpox will later develop shingles.
Since shingles has been more common among older adults and in people who have weakened immune systems, the cause of shingles may be to lowered immunity to infections as people get older.
A person with shingles can pass the virus to anyone who isn’t immune with chickenpox. This typically occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person who has been infected will develop chickenpox rather than shingles. It is important to remember that until your scabs have blistered over, you are contagious and should avoid physical contact with people.
What are symptoms of shingles?
Shingles symptoms typically only present on a small section of your body. Pain is most commonly the first symptom people experience with shingles. This pain can range from mild to severe. Other common symptoms may include:
- Pain, burning or tingling.
- Sensitivity to touch
- A red rash that begins a few days after pain.
- Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over.
- Itching
- Fever
- Headache
- Sensitivity to light
- Fatigue
If you experience these symptoms and suspect you may have developed shingles, contact your healthcare provider immediately, especially if:
- The pain and rash occur near an eye.
- You are 50 or older.
- Someone in your family has a weakened immune system.
- Rash is widespread and painful.
How is shingles diagnosed and treated?
Your provider will perform a physical exam and review your medical history. During their exam, they will examine the blisters and ask questions to help them determine the diagnosis. They may take a tissue sample or culture of the blister to send to the lab to rule out infections.
Although there is no cure for shingles, early treatment can help to speed healing and lower your risk of complications. Your provider may recommend medication, topical patches, numbing agents or corticosteroid injections. Shingles generally lasts between 2 to 6 weeks depending on your body’s response to treatment.
What are risk factors for shingles?
The main risk factor for developing shingles is if you have had chickenpox in the past. Most adults nowadays in the United States had chickenpox when they were younger due to the lack of availability of the chickenpox vaccine. Factors that may increase your risk of developing shingles include:
- Age – shingles typically occurs in people over the age of 50.
- Certain diseases – diseases that weaken your immune system, like HIV or cancer, increase your risk.
- Cancer treatments – radiation or chemotherapy can lower your resistance to disease and infection.
- Some medications – long term use of steroids may increase your risk.
If you suspect that you have developed shingles, it is important to contact your healthcare provider immediately. Complications from shingles can include:
- Postherpetic neuralgia – shingles pain that continues long after the blisters have cleared.
- Vision loss – shingles in or around the eye can cause infections that may result in vision loss.
- Neurological problems – shingles may cause inflammation of the brain, facial paralysis, or problems with hearing or balance.
- Skin infections – if shingles aren’t treated properly, bacterial skin infections can happen.
How can I prevent shingles?
It is possible to get shingles two or more times. A shingles vaccine, Shingrix, may help to prevent shingles. Shingrix is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is recommended for people age 50 and older, whether they have had shingles or not. Shingrix is also recommended for people who are 19 years of age or older that have weakened immune systems due to disease or medication.
Shingrix does not guarantee that you won’t get shingles – it just reduces the course and severity of the infection. Previous studies have shown that Shingrix offers protection against shingles for more than 5 years. Your healthcare provider will review your medical history to determine whether you are eligible for the Shingrix vaccine.