Treatment Of Shingles

Shingles is very common in people of older age and who are effected by chickenpox in his younger age,and who has weak immunity.Shingles often begins with pain or tingling,then a red rash appears that and soon followed by blister.

The medications of shingles should be started with in 72 hours of when you first feel pain.Strong anti-inflammatory medicines called corticosteroids,such as prednisone,may be used to reduce swelling and pain.

The following medicines are used for the treatment of shingles--

1-Antihistamine to reduce itching

2-Pain medicines

3-Zostix-a cream containing capsaicin.it is used to reduce pain.It may help to relieve itching and discomfort.

4-Resting in bed

5-Keep the skin vlean

5-Do not reuse contaminate items

6 Wash non disposable item in boiling water

You may need to stay away from people while the sores are oozing to avoid infecting those who have never had chickenpox -- especially pregnant women.Please note that if you have a normal and healthy immune system, shingles treatment is most effective if you get medication within 72 hours

Ask your family doctor For treatment of shingles.

Causes Of Shingles

Shingles is a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus a type of herpes virus that causes chickenpox. Other name of shingles is herpes zoster. Early signs of shingles include burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching, usually on one side of the body or face. The pain can be mild to severe.

There are many causes of shingles which are---

1-  A person who id infected by chickenpox in his childhood

2-  Any recent surgery

3-  Anyone who is infected by  AIDS

4-  Anyone who is infected  by cancer

5-  Any type of radio treatment or  chemotherapy

6-  Older age such as 50 or above

7-  Serious illness

8-  Stress

9-  Poor nutrition

10- Diabetes,lupus,HIV

11- Injury

12- Any organ transplant

Shingles rarely occur in children under the age of 10. The risks of getting singles at that age increase significantly if a child has been infected with the virus during the first year of life, or if the mother had chickenpox during pregnancy.. It may be due to lowered immunity to infections as you grow older. Shingles is more common in older adults and in people who have weak immune systems.

How To Diagnose shingles

Shingles is usually diagnosed based on the history of pain on one side of your body, along with the telltale rash and blisters.

Look at the Symptoms to Diagnose Shingles-----

1-Recognize the first sign of shingles to be burning or tingling pain, usually on only one side of the body. Sometimes numbness or itching accompanies the pain.

2-Check the site for the appearance of a rash with fluid-filled blisters. These blisters usually appear within a few days after the initial pain. 

3-Watch for the outbreak to appear as a band of blisters. This band is typically around the middle of the back and one side of the chest. 

4-Understand symptoms to diagnose shingles, in addition to the rash, may include fever, headache, chills and an upset stomach.

 To confirm that you have shingles, your doctor may scrape some skin from a blister. These samples can then be sent to a laboratory for testing. The tests can detect the presence of the varicella-zoster virus.

These tests include:

·         Microscopic examination

·         Viral culture

·         Immunofluorescence

·         Polymerase chain reaction techniques

It may take as long as three weeks or several weeks to obtain the results of some of these tests.