A Guide To Understand Signs And Symptoms Of Shingles
Article by JackJ Reynolds
Shingle is basically a skin disease.It is also known as Herpes Zoster.It is the virus Varicella Zoster Virus that causes one to have Shingles.This leads to chicken pox in Kids.When VZ virus, attacks a child and causes chicken pox, this virus remains in the spinal nerve cells of that patient.Even after the patient is cured from chicken pox, this virus remains in the body in the dormant form.It does not harm the person in any form until it gets activated.The VZ virus leads to Shingles when it gets activated due to any of the factors such as stress, fever and any bouts of infection.
Shingles commonly starts with the symptoms like increased sensitivity of the skin along with burning, tingling or tickling pain.This may be accompanied with the numbness of the affected area.One can have it any part of the body such as like abdomen, neck, back, arm or leg.After this sign one has maturity to tender lymph nodes.There may be many accompanying symptoms like diarrhoea, fever with chills, nausea, stomachache etc.Subsequent to this in about 3-5 days one will have red rashes that get transformed into blisters.The formation of these blisters occurs in and around a nerve center with one or more nerves.
Initially, these blisters are filled with clear fluid but in the next 3-4 days, it becomes cloudy.The healing happens only after the blister breaks out to form a crust.The whole course of the disease can take around 3-4 weeks.
There can be severe pain in the total nerve after the disease is cured also.This circumstance in a patient is termed as Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN).This is a very excruciating situation for the patient.It may take days, weeks or even months for complete cure.
The diagnosis of shingles is mainly done through the signs and symptoms.The distribution of lesion creates suspicion for the shingles disease.A swab test or scrape from the blister determines the diagnosis.
A pain killer is given as treatment for shingles.There is administration of valacyclovir, acyclovir, famiciclovir etc which are antivirals as treatment.These medicines reduces the pain and rash.This treatment gives symptomatic relief from pain alone.In order to reduce the itching a calamine lotion is also advised.
There is nature care cure also available for this disease that helps in relief from associated symptoms.The use of Apple cider vinegar is found effective.There is reduction of both pain and rash with its application on the affected region.Another is use of mixture of aloe vera gel and cayenne pepper.There is direct relief from pain due to this.There is improvement in the immunity due to intake of Vitamin C.Thus Vitamin C has to be taken in large quantities.The average amount should be about 2000 to 4000 mg per day.Shingles disease also has relief with MSM.It should also be consumed.
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