Shingles
Written by: Stephanie Weaver, PA-C
Winter can be a common time for viruses and illnesses. This year especially with increased stress, there is one virus we have been getting more and more questions about: Shingles.
Anyone that has previously had chickenpox can get shingles. The chickenpox vaccine became available in the US in 1995, so if you were born before then, or have not had the vaccine, you may have had chickenpox and could potentially get shingles in the future. When someone gets chickenpox, the virus can still live inside the body and will move from the skin to the nerves. When it moves from the nerves back to the skin, it presents as shingles.
More than 1 million cases of shingles are diagnosed in the US each year. Most people will develop a painful or itchy, blistering rash. It usually affects only ½ of your body when it comes up and will focus on a certain area like the face, shoulder, trunk, or hips. The itching, pain, or tingling sensation will usually present 1-3 days before the blisters form. The blisters will last about 7-10 days and will scab up and go away within 2-3 weeks. Sometimes, it can also come up with fever, chills, headache, or stomach upset.
Photos can be seen on the CDC’s website or here.
It is important to treat shingles within 2-3 days of symptoms to help reduce symptoms, improve the rash, and prevent any further long-term issues. Untreated shingles can lead to other health problems including long-term pain where the blisters were. Very rarely, it can affect eyesight, hearing, and some patients can develop pneumonia or other neurological diseases like swelling in the brain or spinal nerves (encephalitis and meningitis). Even if it has been longer than 2-3 days, we still recommend seeking treatment to help prevent long-term side effects.
We are often asked: is Shingles contagious? The short answer is, technically yes. When you have active blisters you can spread the virus to others, but it is very difficult to spread to healthy individuals who have had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine. Those that have not had either of these can get chickenpox when exposed to someone with shingles. If you have shingles, it is important to stay away from pregnant women, babies under 1 year old/those who have not been vaccinated/those that have not had chickenpox, or anyone who is immunocompromised like people undergoing cancer treatments or have had transplants. If you are worried about spreading the rash to others, make sure you take these precautions:
-Cover the rash, and avoid touching the blisters
-Wash your hands often
-Avoid contact with the above individuals until the blisters start to scab up
There is a vaccine that can prevent Shingles altogether called Shingrix. It is recommended for patients 50 years and older, and the clinical trials showed that it was over 90% effective at preventing the virus. Talk to your primary care provider if you think you qualify or are interested in learning more about the vaccine.
If you think you have shingles, don’t hesitate to make an appointment! Early treatment is best, and we are always happy to help with any skin condition that’s giving you trouble.
For more information on Shingles, please check out this page from the American Academy of Dermatology.