Shingles, the virus once thought to be closely related to smallpox, is in reality a cousin of the chickenpox. In fact, they are caused by the same virus. Appearing first as a deep red rash, and then blistering into sores soon thereafter, it can often and easily be confused with other maladies.

Overview of Shingles

• The shingles virus can be spread easily to those who have not
yet contracted chickenpox
• A vaccine is available for those over 60 years of age, in
order to reduce outbreaks in this high-risk group
• Although it is also known as herpes zoster, this virus is not
related to the herpes STD
• Special prevention precautions should be taken for pregnant
women
• Pain from this virus can continue even after the rash has
healed
• Outbreaks may be minimized, if treatment is administered
within 72 hours of the rash appearing

 

Causes & Complications of Shingles

The cause of shingles is the varicella zoster virus (VZV), and complications from this virus can lead to a variety of problems. The VZV virus is in the herpes family, and functions as its own antidote once the body has experienced it. For instance, once a person has had the chickenpox, VZV remains in the nervous system and is never completely purged. Although dormant, it still resides in the body.

Shingles itself manifests as a rash, combined with a series of skin lesions that erupt from that rash. A common complication with shingles is that it may be activated again in response to other issues in the body. Unlike chickenpox, people do not necessarily experience a shingles outbreak only once. Stress, AIDS or other immune disorders, and even cancer treatments can trigger the rash and contagion to resurface.

The vaccine created to prevent the rash from resurfacing is vital, since the majority of occurrences are in those over 60. Furthermore, anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for shingles. Statistics show that approximately 1,000,000 instances of shingles occur annually in the United States.

Signs & Symptoms of Shingles

Shingles eruptions set themselves apart from chickenpox due to the discomfort that can even precede the obvious rash and skin lesions. Burning and sensitive skin can occur up to a week prior to any visible signs of a breakout, and this pain can become severe. Of course, the lack of outward signs and evidence can make the quest for an accurate diagnosis very difficult.

The rash itself arises as tiny blisters on a red foundation. Since VZV is a neurological virus, the blisters track nerve patterns that spread away from the spinal cord. Blisters will continue to appear and expand for 3 to 5 days. The virus maintains its contagious state while the blisters, and any related oozing, remain present.

3 to 4 weeks may pass before all affected areas have crusted over and begun to heal. During this time, anyone who has not previously been exposed to chickenpox may contract it, regardless of their age. Once someone has experienced the chickenpox, they will not develop shingles as a result of being exposed to someone else’s shingles outbreak. Shingles only arises as a trigger from within your own body.

Herpes Zoster

It is important to clarify the use of the term “herpes” in this context. Herpes zoster is not the same as the variety of genital herpes viruses that are typically sexually transmitted. Zoster is medically transmitted.

Primarily dermal, zoster is understood to be a neurological disorder that stems from the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Varicella happens to be the virus that causes chickenpox. The state of the immune system thus determines which aspect of VZV will be activated, and how it will appear outwardly.

It is theorized that when immunity plunges below an effective cellular level, viral invasion cannot be prevented. Consequently, this allows zoster to manifest as shingles. This also explains why the predominant number of cases occur in adults over 60 whose immune systems can be easily compromised.

Concerns During Pregnancy

Those who were never previously exposed to chickenpox must take additional precautions to avoid exposure during pregnancy. Crowds, grammar schools, and other settings where the highly contagious varicella zoster virus may be present, become especially dangerous during these 9 months. Of course, those who have experienced the course of chickenpox will not catch shingles from someone with an inflamed rash.

Enduring a chickenpox infection while pregnant can cause it to be passed along to the infant, and may even lead to birth defects in the child. Although a shingles outbreak can be dangerous to the unborn baby as well, the potential damage is typically not as severe. One study actually demonstrated no risk or harm to the fetus when the mother experienced a shingles flare-up.

Anyone unaware, or unsure, of having contracted chickenpox prior to a pregnancy can be tested. This blood test will reveal the presence or absence of VZV antibodies. Antibodies indicate that course of chickenpox has already been experienced. As a result, contracting the virus through a contagious exposure to shingles would be impossible during the pregnancy.

Minimizing Problematic Outbreaks

After chickenpox runs its course, typically in children and young people, the virus remains present in that body. This latent and temporarily asymptomatic residue can either remain immobile, or travel through nerve clusters, for years or decades without erupting.

While zoster outbreaks typically range between 1 and 3 out of 1,000 healthy individuals, incidents more than triple in senior citizens who are 65 or older. Logically, these incidents increase in activity for age groups that are prone to compromised immunity. Certainly, this fact was the impetus behind creating the vaccine that was designed to prevent such eruptions.

When prevention efforts fail, steroid and anti-virus treatment programs can be administered to minimize the pain and hasten the dermal healing. This is important not only because the healing process slows significantly as we age, but also because the pain related to the rash areas can be present even after the rash has physically healed. The only caveat to the effectiveness of this treatment program is that it must be administered within 48 to 72 hours of the rash appearing. Once initiated, the course of this shingles treatment then continues for 7 to 10 days.

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