Shingles is a viral infection that causes a red rash on the skin that turns into painful, fluid-filled blisters. This rash usually appears in a unilateral band that covers either the left or right side of the body. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.
What is Shingles?

Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella zoster virus, which affects the skin and nerves, causing small blisters and painful skin rashes. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. In people who have had chickenpox before, the virus remains inactive or dormant in sensory nerve cells in the spinal cord known as the dorsal root ganglia, which are responsible for transmitting pain signals. 

The painful, blister-like skin rash that occurs when the varicella zoster virus, which is dormant in the body, becomes active again is also called shingles. This disease affects both the skin and the nerves. 

What Causes Shingles?

Even after the symptoms of chickenpox have disappeared in people who have had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body in an inactive form, and this virus can cause serious flu, urinary tract infections, advanced age, HIV/AIDS or cancer treatment Shingles is caused by any disease that weakens the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS, which can cause shingles. In addition, drugs and steroids given to prevent the body from rejecting the organ transplant are also risk factors for shingles.

The most important factor in shingles is aging, and it usually reactivates in people over the age of 50. 70 percent of cases occur in people over the age of 50. A person who is 80 has a 50 percent chance of getting shingles. In other words, one in every two people over the age of 80 gets shingles.

What are the symptoms of Shingles?

Shingles begins with tenderness, tingling, itching, and pain on one side of the body or face. It causes a red rash that turns into fluid-filled blisters after a few days. 

Symptoms of shingles, which usually affects one area of ​​the body (localized), include:

• Pain
• A tingling or burning sensation in the affected area
• Itchy red rash
• Fluid-filled blisters that crust over
• Fire
• Headache
• Shake
• Sensitivity to light
• Feeling tired and exhausted

Once symptoms appear, it can take up to 3-5 weeks for the rash to completely disappear. Usually, blisters and rashes appear within 3-4 days and dry up within 10 days. These crusts fall off within 2-3 weeks.

How Is Shingles Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of shingles is usually made by examination. In very rare cases where the diagnosis cannot be made by examination, a laboratory test is applied. In this method, called the Tzank test, a scraping sample is taken from the lesion and examined under a microscope after special staining methods. Pain alone, without a rash, is not sufficient for the diagnosis of shingles. Because the pain in this early stage of the disease can be confused with pain caused by other causes. The skin rash must start in order to make the diagnosis.

How to Prevent Shingles?

It is possible to protect against shingles. There is a vaccine that was licensed in 2006 and protects people from shingles. This vaccine was approved by the ministry in 2015 and started to be used in our country. The shingles vaccine, which is administered as a single dose, largely prevents the development of shingles. The severity of shingles, which rarely occurs after the vaccine, is less. 

For this reason, shingles vaccination is recommended for those who are eligible. While some countries recommend the shingles vaccine to healthy individuals over the age of 50, in our country it can be administered to people over the age of 60. With the approval of a dermatologist, people can be protected from shingles with a single dose of the vaccine.

Is There a Treatment for Shingles?

Early diagnosis and treatment of shingles is of great importance. Shingles treatment is aimed at suppressing and reducing the symptoms and severity. Therefore, antiviral agents are started within the first 72 hours of the rash appearing, vitamin B complexes are applied to correct inflammatory nerve changes, local wound care creams for wounds and painkillers are applied for pain. Rest and good nutrition also help the disease to end as soon as possible.

What to Know About the Shingles Vaccine?

• The shingles vaccine is administered as an injection into the upper arm. You will only need to get this vaccine once.
• The purpose of the shingles vaccine is to reduce the risk of getting shingles.
• You can get the shingles vaccine while you have shingles. With the effect of the vaccine, the symptoms may be milder and last shorter.
• The shingles vaccine will provide you with protection for at least 5 years.

How Long Does It Take for Shingles to Heal?

Shingles takes two weeks to heal, but the pain can last for months. As we age, the healing time of these pains increases. This pain is also called “Post Herpetic Neuralgia”. The nerve pains experienced in shingles can sometimes become very severe and can wake us up at night and prevent us from sleeping. The quality of life of patients who experience these pains for a long time decreases significantly. In such cases, the use of medications prescribed by the Neurology Department for nerve pain may also be considered.

In younger patients with no additional illness, the pain lasts for a month at most and then goes away. These patients do not need any medication other than classic painkillers. However, the complications of shingles increase with age.

What is Good for Shingles?

For shingles, which is caused by a viral infection, a few natural remedies can help relieve the symptoms. Here are some natural remedies you can try at home to help shingles go away and get better:

Take a shower

Soothing the skin and cleaning the areas where blisters have formed will minimize the risk of the infection spreading. 

Apply cold compress

You can apply cold compresses to relieve the pain and itching that are among the symptoms of shingles. Wringing out a towel soaked in cold water and applying it to the painful and itchy area helps relieve pain. However, do not use ice to increase skin sensitivity.

Apply a paste prepared with baking soda

After pouring water on the baking soda, mix it until it becomes a paste, apply the resulting mixture to the reddened area and wash it after 10-15 minutes.

Use lotions and creams that have pain-relieving properties.

You can use creams and lotions to increase your comfort level. Make sure to choose ones that have anti-inflammatory properties, are natural, and are unscented and unperfumed.

Take immune-boosting foods and supplements

Shingles can also be caused by a low immune system. So, consume orange fruits, fibrous dark green vegetables, red meat, eggs, tomatoes and spinach, which contain vitamins A, B-12, C and E.

Use herbal remedies such as echinacea, thyme oil, green tea

Herbal supplements may help reduce the stress of shingles.

What are the Possible Complications of Shingles?

Depending on which nerves are affected by shingles, various complications can occur. The following complications can occur with shingles:

• Postherpetic neuralgia
• Inflammation of the brain (encephalitis)
• Loss of vision
• Neurological problems
• Skin infections
• Facial paralysis
• Balance problems

Frequently Asked Questions About Shingles

What kind of disease is shingles?

Does the location of the shingle matter?

The location of shingles is very important. Shingles usually affects one side of the body, usually on the back or chest area, above the ribs. Other than that, shingles can also affect very important areas such as the face, eyes, head and ears, including the eye. This is called “Ophthalmic Shingles”. This is one of the most severe types of shingles and is less common.

Who cannot get the shingles vaccine?

Bone marrow transplant The shingles vaccine is not administered to people who have had an organ transplant or whose immune systems are suppressed.

What are the side effects of the shingles vaccine?

As with all vaccines, the shingles vaccine may cause complications such as local tenderness and redness at the site of application. Other than these, there are no reported side effects.

Is shingles contagious?

Someone with shingles cannot spread their disease to others, but they can spread it as chickenpox. In the case of varicella-zoster virus, skin contact with the fluid leaking from the blisters causes the virus to spread. As a low risk, varicella-zoster virus can also be transmitted by inhalation. Therefore, if the rash is in the form of blisters, you should be careful not to come into contact with anyone who has not had chickenpox or has not been vaccinated against chickenpox.

Is there a risk of shingles recurring?

Shingles can very rarely recur. People who have had shingles at an early age can develop shingles again at an older age. Shingles can also be seen in childhood, although it is very rare.

What is the effect of stress on shingles?

Despite having chickenpox in childhood and being vaccinated, the virus is not completely eliminated from the body. It remains dormant in sensory nerve roots for life. The immune system weakened by advancing age and chronic diseases or infections causes the disease to reawaken. Other factors that trigger the disease include stress, depression, sadness and excessive fatigue. After the virus is reactivated by these factors, it quickly spreads to the skin and causes pain, burning, itching, redness and rashes in the form of blisters filled with water.

In conclusion, shingles has a significant connection with stress. Severe stress situations, immune suppressing conditions, chronic diseases, cancer, chemotherapy or severe infections such as AIDS invite shingles.

What are the other names of zona?

Shingles disease is also given different names such as Herpes Zoster, Zona Zoster, Zoster Zona.

Does shingles pose a risk of death?

“Does shingles kill?” is one of the most frequently asked questions. Shingles is not fatal. However, it is a disease that seriously impairs the patient’s quality of life. The occurrence of shingles in people with very serious illnesses increases the risk of infection and pain, causing the underlying disease to worsen.

Do herbal treatments have a place in the treatment of shingles?

There is no herbal method recommended for the treatment of shingles. However, during the period when the pain continues, acupuncture treatment, which is among the alternative methods, can be applied due to intense nerve pain. These patients, who can benefit from different physical therapy applications, can also apply hot or cold applications to the same painful area.

Can antihistamine medications be used to treat shingles?

Symptoms of shingles sometimes include itching. Relieving itching antihistamine drugs can be used. The treatment of this disease is based on the symptoms of the patients. 

What happens if shingles treatment is delayed?

In the treatment of shingles, antiviral agents should be used within the first 72 hours. When treatment is delayed, antiviral agents lose their effect and the virus continues to multiply during this time, called "replication." This makes treatment more difficult and causes the patient to recover more slowly.

Can shingles be confused with other diseases?

There are diseases that are very rarely confused with shingles. However, dermatologists can usually make this diagnosis through examination.

Which doctor should I see for shingles?

Shingles is a disease that affects the skin and nerves, so it is important to treat shingles. dermatology should see a specialist.

What causes shingles?

The varicella zoster virus, which lies dormant in the body, becomes active again years later and travels along nerve fibers towards the skin, causing shingles.

What are the factors that increase the risk of shingles?

The risk of shingles increases with age. In addition, diseases that affect the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS and cancer, are also among the factors that increase the risk of shingles. Chemotherapy used in cancer treatments can also trigger shingles because it affects the immune system.

What happens if shingles is not treated?

Shingles can pose health-threatening conditions when it progresses depending on the area it is in. Shingles that develop near the eye area can cause eye damage. If the water-filled blisters that appear as a symptom of shingles are not treated, bacterial infections can develop on the skin.

How can the risk of shingles be reduced during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, it is especially necessary to stay away from people who have chickenpox and shingles. If you come into contact with someone who has shingles, you should consult a specialist and ensure that the correct treatment is applied.