Know Your Shingles Rash Symptoms

By Carolyn Brooks


Whether the information is for your own personal need or you are a caretaker, it is important to know the shingles rash symptoms. If caught early on, the length of stay can be shortened. In addition, this is often confused with other conditions, so such an awareness can help prevent exorbitant medical costs for labs and radiology charges.

It is not commonly known that this condition originated from the varicella-zoster virus, which caused us to have chickenpox. This virus, like many, lies dormant in the body throughout life. As body chemistry changes, as it does with middle-aging on into the elderly status, this virus can on the body once again.

Generalized pain in a specific part of the body is usually the first thing one might notice. In fact, the area of pain may be the same area which had the worst outbreak of chicken pox when they were a child. If there have been previous outbreaks, one might tell their home care nurse when and where this outbreak occurred.

It is not uncommon for a person to experience the pain, but never have an actual outbreak of the rash occur. While one is still able to do so, making some personal medical notes about their childhood chicken pox can be helpful. Especially if there was a particularly extensive outbreak on their torso, where these outbreaks as well as pain are most frequently experienced.

Most frequently the rashes are seen around the left or right side of the torso. In some instances one will have the outbreak on their face, most commonly near the eyes. These are the most serious outbreaks to get medical attention, as eyesight can be permanently impaired as a result.

It is also important the patient gets to a doctor when they have a weakened immune system. Patients with life-threatening illnesses such as cancer or HIV are particularly susceptible to extreme side effects of these outbreaks. In addition, it is generally advised for any patient over the age of sixty to see a doctor for this and really any other sudden, unexplained condition.

Anyone over the age of sixty should consider seeing their doctor in the event of an outbreak, no matter what their health status is. However, this is even more important if they have an autoimmune disease or are receiving chemo. Naturally, such details should have already been shared with any caretakers they have so they can make the right decisions on their behalf.

This connection between a weakened immunity and an outbreak is unmistakable, and may be the only etiology we need know. Fortunately for many, two vaccines have been developed to deal with these outbreaks. While they are not going to help anyone currently experiencing this condition, they can prevent them from occurring, or at least lessen the impact they can have on the health of an individual.

It does appear that a weakening immune system is what gives this virus the ability to rise up. That only somewhat explains why not every person who gets chickenpox as a child will have an outbreak in adulthood. However, the chickenpox vaccine may be able to eradicate this condition for good, but it will take a generation before we truly see these results.




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