Contents:
- Medical Video: Shingles
- What is shingles?
- What causes shingles?
- Is this disease contagious?
- What are the characteristics and symptoms of herpes zoster?
- How to treat it?
Medical Video: Shingles
If you have had chickenpox, you can get snakepox, or in medical language it is known as shingles. Unlike herpes simplex which is often transmitted through sexual intercourse, herpes zoster is a disease caused by a virus varicella zoster, which is a virus that also causes chickenpox.
What is shingles?
Shingles is a rash on the skin that is painful, caused by a virus varicella zoster. This disease is usually experienced by parents or people who have low immunity due to stress, drugs, or other conditions.
What causes shingles?
After you have been affected and recovered from chickenpox, the virus will stay in your neural network, but in a state of "sleep" aka dormant. Shingles appears when the virus that causes chicken pox "wakes up" or comes back to life in your body.
In some people, the virus will sleep forever. But in some other people, the virus can be built. The originator is disease, stress, aging, or other conditions that reduce the body's immunity.
Now, when the virus that causes chickenpox is active again, it will cause shingles on your body, not chickenpox. So, people affected by this type of herpes are people who have previously been exposed to chickenpox. This type of herpes can also occur even though chickenpox that has been previously suffered is not so visible (subclinical).
Is this disease contagious?
You will not contract this virus from other people. However, if you have never been exposed to chickenpox for life, and have never been vaccinated against chickenpox, it is possible for you to contract it from someone who is sick with shingles.
What are the characteristics and symptoms of herpes zoster?
Rashes on the skin due to this disease will only appear on one part of your body. This is because the virus only attacks certain nerve parts.
The following are signs and symptoms that can be found:
- Pain, heat, numbness or tingling
- Sensitive when touched
- A reddish rash on the skin that appears on the first few days
- Liquid blisters that can peel and dry out
- Itching
- Fever
- Headache
- Sensitive to light
- Fatigue
Pain is usually the initial symptom of this disease, although the pain that varies varies from person to person. Some feel only a little pain, some have severe pain. Usually, a type of herpes rash appears on one side of the body, it can also be affected on one side around the eyes, neck or face.
How to treat it?
This disease is usually treated with drugs, such as anti-viral drugs and anti-pain. If you experience signs and symptoms that lead to shingles, immediately see a doctor. Anti-viral treatment that starts early can cure the rash faster and less painful.
