If you’re lucky your mom probably took you to a chicken pox party as a child. And after a little time of suffering, some serious itching and a few bowls of chicken soup you were granted lifelong immunity. Chicken Pox became a thing of the past. The kid who came to school with bumps all over his body whose mom swore he was not sick need not be feared.
Well chicken pox has a sequel, which can attack latter on in life. One in 10 adults will eventually get the viral infection shingles. With shingles there is less itch but it makes up the difference with much more pain. For today let’s discuss how this unwanted encore comes to be and how to deal once the rash has appeared.
We all know what chickenpox looks like. A bunch of fluid filled blisters blanketing every square inch of skin. With shingles we still have the same type of blisters, but this time the blisters are organized into a concentrated patch on the body. They usually follow along the skin over the path of a rib below. This is a viral infection of a nerve so really the infection can follow the path of any nerve, even one on your face.
This band is extremely sensitive (clothing rubbing up against it can be excruciating). Any combination of burning, tingling, itching or numbness can come into play here. Most patients feel the pain is out of proportion for the small area of skin involved. You can also run a fever, get chills, headaches or an upset stomach.
Can you get shingles from someone else, like with the chickenpox? Nope, when you had the chickenpox your body did not get rid the entire virus. A small little thread of it stays in your body for good. Latter on in life during a time when your immune system is low (from stress, infections, poor diet, medication, ect.) the virus becomes revitalized and returns in the form of shingles. Until the blisters have crusted over someone with shingles can give someone else the chickenpox. You can also give an adult who was vaccinated as a child the chickenpox; there immunity wears off over time unlike those who came down with the real deal.
The shingles usually go away on there own in about 3 weeks. Though some are unlucky and may suffer for months. Medical treatment usually involves prescribing an antiviral and pain management. Many natural heath care providers can provide drug free help.
Keeping the area clean will keep the area from becoming infected. Stay away heat and apply cool compresses over the skin and keep the calamine lotion slathered on. Get plenty of rest. And try to let go of the stress that may have caused this in the first place.
As always the best treatment for shingles is not getting it in the first place. There still is a lot to be discovered about shingles. What we do know is that it strikes when your immune systems is riding low. So stay healthy now and take care of yourself so you can be a part of the 9 in 10 who don’t get shingles.