Although shingles is incurable, antiviral medications may speed healing and reduce pain.
In addition, a vaccine can help protect against shingles andpostherpetic neuralgia, a common complication of shingles.
This article will review essential facts about shingles, including its symptoms, risk factors, and treatment.
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Insight into whether shingles can recur or is contagious will also be provided.
The symptoms of shingles progress through two stages.
The first is the preeruptive stage, the period before the rash appears.
The rash fully clears within two to four weeks for most people.
For some, scarring and skin color changes may occur.
Several factors may increase a person’s risk of developing shingles.
However, the scientific evidence supporting these factors remains under medical debate.
These T-cells remain in the skin after the chickenpox virus has been cleared.
Their goal is to keep the chickenpox virus in check, preventing reactivation into shingles.
Reinfection Risk
While not common, a person canget shingles multiple times.
How Contagious Is Shingles?
Shingles is not contagious, so you cannot get shingles from another person.
However, it’s possible for you to get chickenpox from a person with shingles.
This can only happen if you have never had chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine.
Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles later in life.
How to Treat Shingles
The standardtreatment of shinglesinvolves taking both an antiviral and pain-relieving medication.
Antiviral therapy should ideally start within 72 hours after the rash appears for optimal benefit.
Shingles in pregnancy is usually treated with acyclovir.
If the pain is severe, an opioid like OxyContin (oxycodone) may be prescribed temporarily.
For example, applying a cool washcloth to the affected skin can ease pain and itching.
After bathing or applying a cool washcloth, be sure to gently dry the affected skin area.
Also, try not to disturb or scratch the blisters, which can lead to an infection.
Individuals 19 and older with weakened immune systems should also get two doses of Shingrix.
Zostavax is a shingles vaccine no longer available for use in the United States.
Prompt antiviral therapy can reduce the severity and duration of your symptoms and lower your chances of developing complications.
Several medication options can help you get through this uncomfortable time.
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