ShinglesBy: PArée Dilkes

Hour 2nd

Reflection

• I have had shingles so now I feel more educated on the skin disorder. My view of the disorder has not really changed that much. Now I know how common the disorder is and how serious it may can become. Shingles is not fun to deal with, it itches and hurts and leaves behind nasty scars. Although this disorder is not permanent, it may occur more than once in a lifetime.

What ARE Shingles?

• Shingles is a skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus responsible for these conditions is called Varicella zoster. After an individual has chickenpox, this virus lives in the nerves and is never fully cleared from the body. Under certain circumstances, such as emotional stress, immune deficiency (from AIDS or chemotherapy) or with cancer, the virus re-activates causing shingles.

What THEY look Like

How Do you Know You Have Shingles?

• Before a rash is visible, the patient may notice several days to a week of burning pain and sensitive skin. Shingles start as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for 3-5 days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that comes out of the spinal cord. The entire path of the nerve may be involved or there may be areas with blisters and areas without blisters. Generally, only one nerve level is involved. In a rare case, more than one nerve will be involved. Eventually, the blisters pop and the area starts to ooze. The area will then crust over and heal. The whole process may take 3-4 weeks from start to finish.

Where are Shingles?

• Typically, the shingles rash occurs on only one side of your body. This is an important sign to help diagnose shingles. It may appear, for example, as a band of blisters that wraps from the middle of your back around one side of your chest to your breastbone, following the path of the nerve where the virus had been inactive.

• Shingles occurs on the outermost layer of the skins in most cases, the epidermis.

What Causes Shingles?

• Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. If you have had chickenpox, the varicella virus remains in a group of nerves in your central nervous system, but doesn't cause any symptoms. This is called a dormant virus. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord, which are connected to the nerves in the body. When the virus becomes active again, it causes the symptoms of shingles. No one is sure why the virus becomes active. However, it seems to be linked to a weakened immune system, such as in people who are ill (such as with cancer or HIV), have had major surgery, or are taking immunosuppressant medications or drugs with cortisone.

The Cure

• There are several effective treatments for shingles. Drugs that fight viruses, such as acyclovir or famciclovir can reduce the duration of the rash if started early (within 48 hours of the appearance of the rash). The addition of steroids may also limit the length of time that a patient has pain with shingles. However, the benefit of both of these drugs is limited. In addition to antiviral medication, pain medications may be needed for symptom control. The affected area should be kept covered and dry. However, bathing is permitted and the area can be cleansed with soap and water.

Worst case Scenario

• For most healthy people, the lesions heal, the pain subsides within 3 to 5 weeks, and the blisters leave no scars.  However, shingles is a serious threat in immunosuppressed individuals — for example, those with HIV infection or who are receiving cancer treatments that can weaken their immune systems.  People who receive organ transplants are also vulnerable to shingles because they are given drugs that suppress the immune system.  

Three Facts

• A person with a shingles rash can pass the virus to someone, usually a child, who has never had chickenpox

• Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles, while early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and minimize the chance of complications.

• More than half the shingles cases occur in adults over 60.

Three Sources

• http://www.medicinenet.com/shingles/article.htm

• http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shingles/shingles.htm

• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098