Shingles - Information on Shingles

Shingles Information

Shingles is basically a skin disease typical to youth, but it may occur to the people at any age. Shingles can appear on any part of the body including the head, limbs, one side of the chest or abdomen, down an arm or leg. You can not catch Shingles from someone who has Shingles or Chickenpox.

We have provided you here all symptoms, causes and treatment methods of Shingles. Shingles only affects a limited area of skin and you will feel very tired, run down and depressed. Shingles are very very painful and it is almost unbearable to wear clothing. The blisters burst and crust over within about a week and then the rash will slowly disappear.

Causes of Shingles

The cause of the Shingles is unknown. People that get Shingles have previously had chickenpox. The chickenpox virus lies dormant in the nerves and shingles will occur when it is re-vitalized in one nerve to the skin.

When your body becomes run down you can have another occurrence of Shingles and it may not affect the same area of the body that it did the last time.

Treatment of Shingles

For treatment of shingles following methods can be used:

1) Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

2) Oral antiviral medications such as acyclovir (Zovirax), valacyclovir (Valtrex) or famciclovir (Famvir) to treat shingles

3) Antiviral medications are combined with corticosteroids to reduce swelling and pain.

4) tricyclic antidepressants or certain anticonvulsants are helpful

5) capsaicin (Zostrix, Zostrix-HP)

6) Topical agents like calamine-containing lotions and creams, 10 percent trolamine salicylate (Aspercreme), and silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene Cream