What is shingles?
Question:
1. What is it?
2. How can I help him feel better if anything?
p.s. i am 14 so don't use big scientific words
Answers:
Shingles is a disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus - the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you have chickenpox, the virus stays in your body. It may not cause problems for many years. As you get older, the virus may reappear as shingles. Unlike chickenpox, you can't catch shingles from someone who has it.
Early signs of shingles include burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching, usually on one side of the body or face. The pain can be mild to severe. Blisters then form and last from one to 14 days. If shingles appears on your face, it may affect your vision or hearing. The pain of shingles may last for weeks, months or even years after the blisters have healed.
There is no cure for shingles. Early treatment with medicines that fight the virus may help. These medicines may also help prevent lingering pain. A vaccine may prevent shingles or lessen its effects. The vaccine is for people 60 or over who have had chickenpox but who have not had shingles.
He had chicken pox as a kid. Same virus causes both. It has been in his system for a long time. See a doc for some relief.
You must have had chickenpox, even a mild case, to get shingles. You have an increased risk of developing shingles if you:
Are older than 50.
Have an autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system attacks its own tissues as though they were foreign substances.
Have another medical condition or stress that weakens the immune system.
You cannot develop shingles if you have not had chickenpox.
Using nonprescription pain medications, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain during an attack of shingles or ongoing pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia.
More Questions & Answers...