What are the symptoms and causes of shingles
Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It usually occurs as an after effect of chicken pox. After a person has chickenpox, the virus stays in the nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain; it means anyone who has suffered from chickenpox can develop shingles. It is not possible to have shingles if you never suffered from chickenpox or the varicella virus that causes it.

Are there any statistics pertaining to Shingles?

• Around 1 in 3 people during their lifetime, develop shingles.
• Shingle is a painful infection of an individual nerve area and the skin surface area.
• It is estimated that there are 1 million cases of shingles every year in the U.S.

What are the conditions and causes of Shingles?

• Shingles causes acute tingling, numbness, pain, and itching on a specific part of the skin, on a single side of the body
• The rash appears within 1 to 5 days after the pain begins
• The rash appearance is just like chickenpox, but only on the band of skin supplied by the affected nerve.
• The rashes can occur on the face, eyes, mouth, and ears.
• Sometimes, the blisters amalgamate, forming a solid red band that looks like a severe burn.
• In the case of optical shingles, the virus invades an ophthalmic nerve and causes painful eye inflammation.
• Up to a week, new blisters or sores may keep on appearing.
• Swelling might be caused in the soft tissue under and around the rash.
• Within 7-10 days, the blisters will gradually dry up and form scabs or crusts. At this point, the rash will no longer be considered infectious.
• A shingles episode normally lasts for 2-4 weeks.

What are the common symptoms of Shingles pain?

• Fever

• Headaches

• Nausea

• Muscle pain and weakness

• Chills

• Upset stomach

• Difficulties with urination

• Fatigue

• Joint pain

• Swollen glands

• Throbbing pain in the eye with irritation and burning sensation

• Redness and inflammation in and around the eye

• Extreme sensitivity to light

• Constant eye-watering

• Blurred vision

What are the long-lasting effects of this condition?

• Ramsay Hunt syndrome

• Eye problems

• Weakness

• 10 to 20 percent people affected by shingles develop cause Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN)

• Skin infection

• Due to loss of pigment in the rash area, white patches appear

• Encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain

• Transverse myelitis, or swelling in the spinal cord

What are the serious complications of shingles?

• If you have a rash or blister too close to your eye, you should be treated in order to avoid permanent eye damage
• Shingles can cause loss of hearing power or intense pain in one ear, dizziness, or loss of taste
• Bacterial infections in which your skin becomes red, swollen, and warm when touched, this infection can be caused from the open blisters.
• Shingles affect the nerves in your head and can result in partial facial paralysis or hearing loss if you leave it untreated
• Shingles can also cause Pneumonia
• A serious and life-threatening condition of the brain or spinal cord inflammation, such as encephalitis or meningitis
• Postherpetic neuralgia, which is another complication of shingles wherein the pain of shingles persists even after the rash has healed.
• Having chickenpox during pregnancy can result in the birth defect or it can cause shingles to the baby.
• In Neurological Complications shingles affects the nerves in the brain. The neurological complications include Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Bell’s palsy, Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, meningitis, encephalitis, and can even cause stroke anytime in the year following the infection.

Who is prone to shingles pain?

• Have had chickenpox as a child
• Are above 50 years of age. No matter how healthy you are, the risk grows with age.
• A weak immune system
• Are experiencing any stress or trauma
• Are suffering from any diseases such as HIV, diabetes, or cancer
• Are taking any medications such as steroids that affect the immune system
• Are undergoing treatments for certain ailments such as cancer
• Are recuperating from an illness, be it even a cold, or flu
• Have erratic sleeping patterns
• Are suffering from malnutrition
• Taking drugs can also cause shingles pain