What are the shingles?!


Question: What are the shingles.?
my dad thinks i might have them...how did i get them.?.?.?...how do i get rid of them.?.?.?.?.?.?.?.? how do i know if i have them.?.?.?.?Health Question & Answer


Answers:
Shingles is the remanifestation of the varicella-zoster virus, otherwise known as "chickenpox." This virus apparently lies dormant after someone has childhood chickenpox, then it can attack the central nervous system, causing burning, tingling, numbness, and itching. Blisters, present in chickenpox, are also present in shingles, often in a "band-like" development around the torso. Just like with many other neurological illnesses, shingles can cause pain. Older adults are at a higher risk for developing shingles.

Treatment of Shingles
Shingles can last several weeks, and pain can persist after the blisters disappear. Severity and duration can be minimized by treatment with anti-viral drugs such as valcyclovir, famcyclovir, or acyclovir. Residual neuralgia, or neurological pain, can be treated with anticonvulsants, antidepressants, or steroids.

There is currently a shingles vaccine available. It is called Zostavax, and it has been proven to prevent shingles outbreaks about 50% of the time. Older adults (60 +) are encouraged to receive the vaccine. Duration and severity are also reduced when those who get the Zostavax vaccine still develop shinglesHealth Question & Answer

check with your local doctor to see if you have it.
it's a viral disease characterised by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body. often seen in a stripe. early symptoms can include headache, fever, and discomfort. they are commonly followed by burning pain, itching, hyperesthesia (increase in sensitivity to stimuli of the senses), or paresthesia (sensitivity to heat, cold, light or touch). can happen after you get the chicken pox. after getting the chicken pox, the virus itself isnt eliminated from the body, and so can go on to cause shingles. the rash and pain usually subside within three to five weeks, however one in five patients may develop postherpic neuralgia, often difficult to manage. aciclovir has been the standard treatment, but there are other drugs you can take, like valaciclovir and famciclovir. for those that are at high risk for repeated attacks of shingles, it's recommend they take five aciclovir a day. those with mild to moderate pain can be treated with over-the-counter analgesics.Health Question & Answer

Shingles (or Herpes zoster - zoster for short) is a reactivation of a childhood chicken pox infection during adulthood. However, unlike the rash of chickenpox, which covers large parts of the body, the rash of shingles usually affects a small area of skin on one side of the body, appearing in rows like shingles on a roof. You would need to see a doctor to confirm the shingles and get some medication to treat them. I have had them several timesand the pain is terrible during the first few days.Health Question & Answer

Honestly this is an answer easily found on google. Like others have said, it's a variation of chicken pox (or herpes zoster). The person who said it isn't that bad IS EXTREMELY WRONG. If you're still a minor (under 18) the chances are very low that you have shingles. It occurs in people who are undergoing extremely stressful situations (think death of a loved one stress) and as a result have compromised immune systems (like those with HIV and the elderly). You can only get it after you have had chicken pox and it is basically a re-occurrence of them (the virus lays dormant in anybody who has had it). Unfortunately it is EXTREMELY painful if left unmedicated as the virus directly attacks the nerves inside your skin. If I wanted to directly show a person how it feels to have shingles, I would take a 3 inch needle, poke it through the skin until it hit the bone of the affected area, attached a car battery to it and intermittently sent huge bursts of electricity to the bone, simultaneous with a dozen other needles.

You can tell if you have them if you have raised red welts that are itchy (and will become painful later on). They are usually described as "belts" of rashes, usually on the midsection (your waist) or shoulder/shoulders. Fortunately it usually only occurs on one side of the body (this is actually characteristic of the virus), but the pain is excruciating. The rash would be extremely sensitive to the touch and should not come in contact with anything.

If you're sure it's shingles, I would recommend going to a doctor immediately and request strong pain medication to prepare for the pain as you absolutely will not want to wait for the pain to start before you go to the doctor. I don't mean to scare you but shingles is the single most painful affliction I have had in my entire life.Health Question & Answer

My Dad got shingles. They're a type of chiken pox, or at least their in the same family. They look like big brown splotches on your face. In order to get rid of them you need to get a special oinment from your doctor... you've gotta get that perscripition, it wont heal with out it. my dad used that ointment and he bought a tube of cocoa butter, which'll make your face clear of any scars or marks in the process. Shingles ARE contagious. So dont touch anyone...
I suggest you go to the doctor. THere is also another rare case that looks like shingles but is not.

good luck!Health Question & Answer

They are from the virus that causes chickenpox, varicella. You need to be seen by a doctor to determine if you have them or not, theres no way to tell on this forum. I will tell you this, you will be broke out in blisters and be in tremendous pain. They are usually found on a trunk of the body meaning the shoulders or hips. if you do have them you need treatment. Health Question & Answer

They are almost like little pimples or cold-sores. Like chicken pox, you can only get them once, and if you've already had chicken pox, you can't get shingles. It's all very confusing.

My advice to you is go check in with the doctor. They have medication that will get rid of the infection within two days.Health Question & Answer

I believe they are from the chicken pox virus. I had them in college and they are not fun.

They tend to be a cluster of painful blisters in your trunk area. My doctor told me it was from exposure to the chicken pox virus which I had in 4th grade. Found out that the kids in the next apartment had the chicken pox and that triggered shingles in me.

Call a doctor, they have treatments for them now that they didn't have then.

.?back=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%3Fei%3DUTF-8%26p%3Dpictures%2Bof%2Bshingles&w=333&h=500&imgurl=static.flickr.com%2F1249%2F765436635_6009ad7a18.jpg&size=93.8kB&name=765436635_6009ad7a18.jpg&rcurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Felectrofloss%2F765436635%2F&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Felectrofloss%2F765436635%2F&p=shingles&type=jpeg&no=2&tt=97%2C708&oid=1bbdadc5d0d6f9d0&fusr=electrofloss&hurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Felectrofloss%2F&tit=Shingles+2&sigr=11kfnuaai&sigi=11fch78vd&sigb=11ub98ou1&sigh=11adh0nbj">http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/vi...Health Question & Answer

Its a form of herpes/chicken pox, not as bad as it sounds. Look at this web site (we use this site at work, its really informative.)

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-t...Health Question & Answer

They are an inflamation of the nerve endings caused by the same form of the herpes virus that causes chicken pox.Health Question & Answer

you should go to the doctors to see what they are. I have no idea what they are because i never had them.Health Question & Answer

It is an infection that starts in the eye but then goes to under the eye and crusts and starts to swell and you have to take this special drops for it to go better. It is possible to go blind from shingles. Health Question & Answer



The consumer health information on youqa.cn is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2012 YouQA.cn -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Q&A Resources