Shingles And Why It Develops
Shingles is a common ailment that people can pick up as adults. A lot of times, the symptoms of shingles are quite minor but for some people they really can be quite severe. For some people it can actually get worse and they end up with shingles related complaints for the rest of their lives. In this article we will examine what causes shingles so that you can be more aware of this condition.
Why Do People Get Shingles?
The virus which causes children to get chicken pox is also responsible for shingles - the herpes varicella zoster virus. Chicken pox is normally only picked up when we are children, but adults are always at risk of developing shingles. And if you have had chicken pox when you were young, then you will already have the virus in your system lying dormant. This virus can later become activated again and this leads to the symptoms of shingles. We are most at risk of the virus resurfacing when our immune system is not functioning at an optimum level.
Because shingles affects the nerve endings it can really be a painful disease to cope with. For a small minority of people, the pain related to shingles lasts for many years and can be very difficult to live with.
Recognising The Signs Of Shingles.
Many people who get shingles initially think that they have the flu but this is soon followed by redness and or swelling on the skin. These later turn into fluid filled blisters; similar to what you see with chicken pox. Some people then find that they get periods of really intense itching and pain.
You really need to make an appointment with a doctor straight away if you think you might have shingles. The pain associated with shingles is normally too severe for over the counter medication to dull so you may have to be prescribed something stronger from your doctor.
When it comes to contracting an illness, one that people really do not want to get is shingles. It is not a pleasant illness to have, so it often pays to know about shingles symptoms. For those people unfortunate enough to get the illness, they will have to start looking for ways of treating shingles.
Tags: diseases, Health Conditions, shingles, treat shingles