Dealing With Shingles Recurrence

Shingles can be a nightmare, especially for somebody who suffers from shingles recurrence and has to deal with it all again. It can be manifested in more than one painful way. Excess itching that makes one want rip their flesh off happens. The sensation can be more of a hideous pain than just a simple itch. In the beginning, a person may just feel sensitive to light and have a headache. Flu-like stomachaches, chills and/or diarrhea is common, but without the flu fever. There is a rash that progresses to blisters and then will scab over. Postherpetic neuralgia is a common complication that can be treated, but it can cause chronic pain for over a month and possibly years if left untreated.

People who are at risk are those who have had chickenpox. It is the chickenpox virus becoming reactivated that caused the trouble and it does not matter how long ago a person had chickenpox. This is another good reason to have children vaccinated against the illness. shingles recurrenceShingles happen most often in people older than fifty do, but it is not unheard of in younger people. High stress cans reactivate the virus, as can changes in the body that are related to ageing. Illness or drugs that suppress the immune system also allow the virus to resurrect and attack. If you lose a lot of weight quickly by reducing your daily calorie intake this has also shown to trigger the virus by lowering your immune system.

Treat The Symptoms Of Shingles Recurrence Early

Shingles and shingles recurrence has no cure, but treatments can ease the suffering and lessen the risk of complications. Antiviral medicines help reduce the length of infection and ease the pain. Other pain medicines like creams and even antidepressants can help. It is important to get treatment as quickly and as aggressively as possible. If people wait to long, the problems are more resistant to treatment and there can be more problems. About half who get postherpetic neuralgia do not respond very well or at all to treatment. At least today there is a vaccine called Zostavax, however it currently only works about half the time.

The latest results show that about five percent of previous sufferers may have the virus comeback. If you start to feel the symptoms of Shingles starting then you need to contact your doctor right away so they can begin to deal with the Shingles recurrence before it gets to far into the attack.

Related posts about Shingles:

Leave a Reply

To submit your comment, click the image below where it asks you to...
Clickcha - The One-Click Captcha




RSS Shingles News

  • Shingles is a return of chickenpox virus
    DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Two MDs told me that I have shingles, brought on by stress. That is true because I did not want to move permanently from the North to the South. I was pressured by my husband, who is 86. I did all the packing and made the travel... […]
  • HOUSE CALL: Singles — How you can protect yourself from this painful virus
    If you have had chickenpox in the past, then you are at risk for shingles. Known as Herpes Zoster, shingles is a localized, blistering rash which can become painful. It's caused by a herpes virus call […]
  • HOUSE CALL: Shingles — How you can protect yourself from this painful virus
    If you have had chickenpox in the past, then you are at risk for shingles. Known as Herpes Zoster, shingles is a localized, blistering rash which can become painful. It's caused by a herpes virus called varicella zoster — the same virus which causes chickenpox. […]
  • Shingles is a wakened chickenpox virus
    Dear Dr. Donohue • Two MDs told me that I have shingles, brought on by stress. That is true because I did not want to move permanently from the North to the South. I was pressured by my husband, who is 86. I did all the packing and made the travel arrangements. We arrived three weeks ago, and I suddenly came down with shingles. […]
  • More on shingles
    Cause: […]
  • FDA: Shingles vaccine now recommended for age 50 and up
    Nearly all baby boomers can remember getting chicken pox, the highly contagious childhood illness that swept through elementary schools. Chicken pox usually wasn’t serious but it caused discomfort and coughs -- and the hallmark itchy, red bumps that turned into small blisters and crusted over. […]
  • Pierce: Don’t get nailed with the shingles
    Don't bother to read this unless you are 50 or older and had chicken pox as a kid. […]