Doctor's Notes on Shingles
Shingles is a skin disease caused by a reactivation of infection with the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. It is also referred to as herpes zoster and occurs many years after the original chickenpox infection, most often in older adults. Shingles is also more common in people with weakened immune systems.
Shingles produces characteristic signs and symptoms on one side of the body. A painful skin rash is common and may be preceded by a few days of tingling, stinging, itching, or burning of the affected area of skin. The rash is red, raised, and contains fluid-filled blisters. The rash appears in a stripe pattern along the path of a nerve, known as a dermatome. Associated symptoms can include headache, body aches, fever, chills, and nausea.
What Is the Treatment for Shingles?
The treatment for shingles may involve antiviral drugs if these can be administered promptly. These can reduce the duration of outbreaks and reduce complications. Pain control is also an important part of shingles treatment. Pain control options for shingles can include topical capsaicin patches, anticonvulsants, or tricyclic antidepressant drugs, which have been shown to help control nerve pain, numbing medications such as lidocaine, or local anesthetics.
Shingles : Symptoms, Vaccine & Pictures Quiz
QuestionShingles is a painful rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.
See AnswerMust Read Articles:
-
Chickenpox
Chickenpox (varicella) is a highly contagious infection that typically affects children. Symptoms and signs include an itchy red blistering rash that forms first on the torso and then spreads to the extremities. Treatment may incorporate Tylenol or Advil for fever, IV fluids for dehydration, antibiotics for bacterial skin infections, calamine lotion, cool compresses and baths, and Benadryl, Claritin, or Zyrtec for itch relief. -
Pain Medications
The effects of pain medication are different for each person. Pain also varies in tolerance as well from person to person. There are several different pain medications such as NSAIDS, acetaminophen, and narcotics. The most commonly prescribed narcotics are morphine (MS Contin, Avinza, Kadain, Oramorph), oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone, M-oxy, ETH-Oxydose, Oxyfast, OxylR), fentanyl (Duragesic, Fentanyl Patch), oxymorphone (Opana), and methadone (Methadose) Narcotic pain medications can lead to physical addiction. Symptoms of physical addiction to narcotics include flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bone aches, feeling like you are "crawling out of your skin," goose bumps, chills, tremor, and difficulty sleeping. These symptoms are all medical concerns and should be treated medically. -
Shingles Symptoms and Treatment
Shingles is a painful skin condition caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Postherpetic neuralgia is chronic pain lasting more than 6 weeks after the onset of shingles. -
Skin Biopsy
A skin biopsy is a test in which a doctor cuts a small sample of a patient's skin to diagnose a wide range of conditions, including bacterial or fungal infections, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other skin problems.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.