Dr Nighat tells you everything you need to know about shingles
Last week saw World Shingles Awareness Week where a series of educational events were held to increase public understanding of the infectious disease. Dr Nighat joins us to tell us what symptoms to look out for, how to treat it and why she thinks there has been a recent spike in cases.
What is shingles?
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash anywhere on your body. It typically looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of your torso.
Shingles is caused by varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life. And years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.
It typically occurs in people older than 50, and people over the age of 60 are more likely to experience more severe complications.
And what are the first signs of shingles?
The first signs of shingles can be a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin. As well as headaches or feeling generally unwell. The initial rash can be difficult to spot on different skin types: due to the colour and texture of the rash associated with shingles, often the diagnosis is missed on people of colour. In many cases a misdiagnosis causes more severe complications.
How do you treat shingles?
It's important to see your doctor no later than three days after the rash starts. The doctor will confirm whether you have shingles and can make a treatment plan accordingly.
Is shingles contagious?
Even though shingles is not contagious, if someone comes in contact with the rash at the blister phase they may contract the varicella-zoster virus.
Because shingles can cause chickenpox who should you avoid when infected?
Even though shingles isn't contagious, you should be cautious of causing vulnerable people to get chickenpox.
Is it best to self isolate if you do have shingles?
You don't technically need to self isolate if you have shingles but you must be regularly washing your hands as the weeping blisters is how the virus is transmitted.
Is there a shingles vaccination you can have?
A shingles vaccine is available on the NHS for people in their 70's. It helps reduce your risk of getting shingles, and if you get shingles after being vaccinated the symptoms will be much milder.