What is the full chronology of symptoms of shingles - from start to the very very end?
Question:
Answers:
Prodromal stage (before the rash appears)
* Pain, burning, tickling, tingling, or numbness develops in the area around the affected nerves several days before a rash begins. The discomfort occurs on a single side of the body, commonly on the chest or back, but it may occur on the abdomen, head, face, neck, or one arm or leg.
* Flu-like symptoms (usually without a fever), such as chills, stomachache, or diarrhea, may develop just before or along with the start of the rash.
* Swelling and tenderness of the lymph nodes may occur.
Active stage (rash and blisters appear)
* A rash consisting of small fluid-filled blisters develops on reddened skin on one side of your body. Fluid inside the blister is initially clear but may become cloudy after 3 to 4 days.
* The rash may occur on the forehead, cheek, nose, and around one eye (herpes zoster ophthalmicusClick here to see an illustration.), which may threaten your sight unless you receive prompt treatment.3
* Extreme pain, described as �piercing needles in the skin,� may accompany the skin rash.
* Blisters may break open, ooze, and crust over in about 5 days. Complete healing takes about 2 to 4 weeks, although some scars may remain.2
Postherpetic neuralgia (chronic pain stage)
* Postherpetic neuralgia is the most common complication of shingles. It lasts for at least 30 days and continues for months to years. Symptoms are:5
o Aching, burning, stabbing pain in the area of the earlier shingles rash.
o Persistent pain that may linger for years.
o Extreme sensitivity to the touch.
* The pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia most commonly affects the forehead or chest, and it may make it difficult for the person to eat, sleep, and perform daily activities. It may also lead to depression.
Shingles
Shingles is a disease caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you have had chickenpox, the chickenpox virus remains inactive in your body in certain nerves. If the virus does become active again, usually later in life, it causes shingles.
What Causes Shingles?Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.
If you've had chickenpox (over 90% of US adults have), the virus remains in your body and can cause shingles.
The chickenpox virus stays inactive in certain nerves.
If the virus becomes active again, usually later in life, it causes the painful disease called shingles.
How Do You Get Shingles?
You are at risk for getting shingles if you have had chickenpox. In addition:
Conditions that weaken the body's immune (defense) system, such as aging, cancer, or certain drugs, increase the chance that the virus will become active again, resulting in shingles.
You should know that there is no way to predict who will get shingles, or when.
About half of the nearly 1 million Shingles cases in the United States each year occur in people aged 60 years and older.
1 out of 2 people living to age 85 will have Shingles.
The older you get, the longer the Shingles rash may last.
Key Facts About Shingles
Shingles, also called herpes zoster (HZ), can be a painful disease that can affect anyone who has had chickenpox.
It can start at any time, without warning.
The first signs of shingles are often felt and may not be seen. These can include: itching, tingling and burning, a few days later a rash of fluid-filled blisters appears, usually on one side of the body or face.
Sometimes the pain before the rash appears can be confused with other conditions and this can make shingles difficult to diagnose early on.
What Are the Treatments for Shingles?
Antiviral medicines for shingles can help speed up healing and reduce pain, but if possible treatment should begin within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms. Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional immediately if you think you may have shingles so that treatment may begin as soon as possible.
How Is Shingles Pain Treated?
For pain associated with the shingles rash, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain medications or prescribe pain medications.
SYMPTOMS BY STAGES
An itching, tingling, burning, or painful feeling may occur
Appears in the same area as the symptoms before the rash
Shingles Rash
Shingles Rash
http://www.shinglesinfo.com//symptoms-of-shingles.htmlShingles Pictures
Shingles can happen in any area of the body. To view pictures of these areas, click below.
View pictures of the rash
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