Shingles

What is shingles?

Shingles (herpes varicella-zoster) is a nerve virus which is a re-occurrence of chickenpox. It can break out many years after the original chickenpox infection was suffered.

Many people who develop shingles experienced such a mild bout of chickenpox in childhood that they don’t realise they have had it – but they are still likely to develop shingles later in life.

Roughly a quarter of a million UK inhabitants contract shingles every year. Almost half of these are subsequently affected by post herpetic neuralgia.

Who can develop shingles?

Anyone who has suffered chickenpox can develop shingles. It should not be confused with chickenpox in adults, which although distressing, is usually no more serious than in children.

Older people are more likely to develop shingles and approximately half the population will have had at least mild shingle by their mid-80’s.

Is anyone immune from shingles?

People who have not had chickenpox cannot get shingles.

How is shingles contracted?

All children who have chickenpox recover fully within a couple of weeksWhen you recover from a chickenpox infection, the virus retreats to a 'junction box' in the nerves beside the spine. It remains there in a dormant state for the rest of your life.

Something 'triggers' the virus to reactivate (perhaps when you are run down or unwell, but no one really knows why) and it comes out as shingles.

Is shingles contagious?

People cannot catch shingles from each other. A person with shingles cannot give another person shingles, nor can you catch shingles from someone with chickenpox.

In fact, it has been found that when people who have had chickenpox encounter the disease again, it increases their immunity and means they are less likely to develop shingles.

Chickenpox is infectious - people can give it to someone who has not already had it. Someone with shingles may give another person chickenpox if that person has never had chickenpox before. This is because it is the same virus.

Once people have had chickenpox, they do not usually get it again.

What does shingles look like?

Red patches are usually an initial sign of the shingles rash appearing. These can also be itchy, tingly or burning and almost always will appear to be under the outer layer of the skin.

Pain often occurs around the area of nerves, usually on one side of the body. Some people may feel very tired or may develop a slight temperature. Blisters will then develop and become filled with fluid. These will then burst and turn into sores.

Blisters may not all come up at once, but instead form and slowly heal over a period of between 2 to 5 weeks. The skin will then crust over and heal up, leaving a slight sensitivity or 'nerve ache' which soon disappears. This may signal the end of the shingles for many people.

Most often people get shingles on one side of the torso, front and back, in the area covered by the affected nerve. Occasionally it occurs elsewhere on the body or the face.

Can you suffer shingles in the eyes?

Vary rarely. If this does happen the condition must be treated with antiviral medication. Untreated the eye may be permanently damaged.

How can shingles be treated?

If treatment is started within 72 hours, it may reduce the severity of the shingles attack. It is important to visit your doctor as soon as you become aware of the first symptoms of shingles.

What can I do to help myself if I have shingles?

Keep the rashes and blisters as clean as possible. Do not used any scented soaps or oils. Do not over wash as this will delay healing.

You can soothe rashes with ice cubes wrapped in a hand towel placed in a plastic bag (to avoid any dripping) You can use a soothing lotion such as calamine.

Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothes preferably in cotton.

You may find vitamins help, especially those related to skin and nerve healing like vitamins A, E and B-complex. Most vitamins depend on a good supply of other vitamins to function efficiently, so do make sure your diet contains plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and cereals.