Shingles - Disease and Treatment

About 1 out of every 3 Americans will develop shingles in their lifetime. You are at risk for shingles if you've had chickenpox, and that risk increases with age.

Shingles appear as a rash of blisters on one side of the body, or sometimes the face. You may feel numbness or tingling for several days before the rash appears. The blisters become scabs after a week to 10 days and go away entirely between three to five weeks.

Shingles can cause burning pain, itching, chills, fever, headache and upset stomach that may temporarily limit your ability and desire to go about your daily routine. It sometimes leads to post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which can cause extreme pain in areas affected by the rash. This pain typically lasts a few weeks to a few months, though it can continue for years in some cases.

If you get shingles, be careful in your interactions with others. Until your rash turns into scabs, keep it covered, wash your hands frequently, and avoid contact with people who have never had chickenpox, especially young children, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system. You can't spread it to someone who's already had chickenpox, but if you have a case of shingles that's still in the blistering phase, you can give chickenpox to someone who has never had it.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix, which is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Contact your insurer to find out if your vaccine is covered.

Contact your family doctor or dermatologist immediately if you think you have shingles. The sooner you begin treatment, the more effective it is. If you do get shingles, your provider may prescribe antiviral medicines to lessen the duration and intensity of the rash. Try calamine lotion, wet compresses or oatmeal baths to get relief from the itching. Certain medications can also help with the pain.

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