What Is Shingles? What Causes Shingles? | Arthritis Information

 

Shingles is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster (or simply zoster) virus. This virus also causes chickenpox. Most of us get chickenpox during childhood, but after we recover the virus remains inactive (dormant) in our nervous system. Our immune system stops the virus from becoming active. However, later in life it may become reactivated, causing shingles. Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin around it.

According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary, herpes zoster (shingles) is "an infection caused by a herpes virus (varicella-zoster virus), characterized by an eruption of groups of vesicles on one side of the body following the course of a nerve due to inflammation of ganglia and dorsal nerve roots resulting from activation of the virus, which in many instances has remained latent for years following a primary chickenpox infection; the condition is self-limited but may be accompanied by or followed by severe postherpetic pain."

A study found that most Americans are in the dark regarding shingles.

What are the symptoms of shingles?

A bout of shingles will normally last from 2 to 4 weeks. The patient will generally feel a tingling sensation in the affected area at first. This will be followed by pain, and then a rash.

Although the chest and abdomen are the most likely parts of the body to experience pain and a rash, shingles can affect any part, including arms, legs, and even the face and eyes.

• Pain - the pain in the affected area tends to be continuous. Some describe it as a dull pain, while others experience a burning sensation. There may also be occasional stabbing pains. The affected area will nearly always be tender.
  
• Rash - about two to three days after the onset of pain the rash will appear. It usually emerges on just one side of the body, and develops at the area of the affected nerve. It starts off as red blotches on the skin, and rapidly develops into itchy blisters; similar to those of chicken pox. Each blister may be there for about one week, then they become yellowish and dry out. Some patients may experience slight scarring of the skin.
  
• Postherpetic neuralgia - some patients experience severe nerve pain (neuralgia). If the nerves are damaged (postherpetic neuralgia) the pain can last for a very long time, even months or years after symptoms have disappeared.

Sometimes there may be additional symptoms, although they are nearly always mild. They might include:

• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Headache
• Memory loss
• Upset stomach or abdominal pains

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154912.phpooh i had shingles last october Thanks for the article, Lynn.  It's especially timely for me.  Mine are just about gone, thank goodness![QUOTE=dotty]Thanks for the article, Lynn.  It's especially timely for me.  Mine are just about gone, thank goodness![/QUOTE]