Curious about what shingles is and what causes shingles? Well you’ve come to the right place because here you’ll learn about this very painful condition and know what causes it. Continue reading below to know more about shingles today.
Shingles is caused by the virus called the herpes zoster. It is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Like chickenpox, it can be a very painful and weakening condition. You’ll notice painful blisters in your skin. Your face and body will develop eruptions. You’ll find the blisters along the chest, in your face, back, neck, abdomen, limbs, and even in your lower back. Like chickenpox, it is itchy and tender. Even after one or two weeks after the blister heal, the pain goes on as the blisters turn into scabs. Note that shingles is not a communicable disease. However, make sure that if you have this disease, don’t go near small children or even adults if they haven’t had chickenpox. Since the virus for chickenpox and shingles are the same, it can cause chickenpox to other people who haven’t had it. If there are persons around you having impaired immune systems, then you should avoid direct contact.
Symptoms of shingles:
- Slight fever
- Malaise
- Chills
- Upset stomach
- Bruised feeling on one side of your face or body
- Pain often in the chest
- Tingling, itching, or prickling skin and an inflamed, red skin rash
- A number of long strip of small, fluid-filled blisters
- Deep burning, searing, aching, or stabbing pain
So what causes shingles?
- The virus that causes shingles is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person is infected with chickenpox, the virus only retreats to the nervous system where it can stay dormant for a couple of years. Thus, if our immune system gets weakened, that virus can reappear but now in a form we call shingles.
- At the same time, shingles can be caused by a lengthy or severe disease or illness.
- It can also be caused by extreme stress including therapy that involves suppressing the immune system.
- When a person is infected with AIDS, they develop the herpes zoster due to their weakened immune system. That too, may cause shingles.
- Even people taking medication for cancer or those taking immunosuppressant drugs are susceptible to shingles.
- Aside from those causes, our elderly are also susceptible from developing shingles due to a less efficient immune system. It depends on the health and nutrition of the person for the severity of the illness including how long the body recovers from it.
- On the other hand, the pain one can experience from shingles is caused by the nerves just beneath the skin’s surface when they get inflamed.