Shingles can happen to anyone over the age of 50 and can be an extremely painful, debilitating condition. According to doctors, shingles, which is accompanied by a rash on the body, usually occurs in people who had chickenpox in childhood.

caused by varicella-zoster Virus – The same virus that causes chickenpox – Shingles often appears as a rash or a band of blisters in one area of ​​your body. Experts say that when you have chickenpox as a child, your body fights off the varicella-zoster virus and even though the physical symptoms of chickenpox go away, the virus always remains in your body. And so, in adulthood, sometimes it can become active again. This time, the varicella-zoster virus makes its second appearance in the form of shingles.

Doctors say the rashes may either appear in patches along a single nerve root or be scattered. Sometimes, you may feel some tingling or burning sensation before the rash appears. Additionally, it can give you a lanyard around the torso area as most of the veins wrap around the torso. You may also find a line around you from back to front.

How common are ringworm?

Experts say that shingles is a relatively common condition that affects 20-30 percent of people at some point in their lives. Globally, it is estimated that three out of every 1,000 people get herpes each year.

Ringworm is more common in older people, but children can get it too. Almost half of the people above 80 years of age have this problem. Statistics say that about 10 percent of people who have had chickenpox earlier in their life also develop shingles.

Signs and Symptoms of Ringworm

Some early signs and symptoms of ringworm include:

• Fever
• feeling cold
• Headache
• feeling tired
• sensitivity to light
• upset stomach
• An itching, tingling, or burning sensation in an area of ​​your skin
• redness on your skin in the affected area
• A raised rash in a small area of ​​your skin
• fluid-filled blisters that break open and then crust over
• Mild to severe pain in the affected area of ​​skin

How long does a ringworm outbreak last?

Doctors say that a full outbreak of shingles takes about three to five weeks from the time symptoms are felt until the rash completely disappears.

• In the first few days of the rash, you may feel a lot of pain in one area of ​​your skin. It can be described as a bad itching, burning, stabbing or shooting type of sensation, which occurs even before the rash occurs.
• A few days after that, you’ll notice a raised rash that starts to appear as a patch – usually on one side of your body. That rash will appear around your waist or on one side of your face or neck. It can also occur around your hands and feet.
• Over the next three to four days, the rash will turn into red, pus-filled and painful blisters. Over the next 10-12 days, the blisters will begin to dry up and scabs will begin to form.
• The scab starts clearing up in 2-3 weeks.

Are ringworm contagious?

Doctors say that even though shingles cannot spread to another person, chicken pox can. Varicella-zoster virus is spread by direct skin-to-skin contact with the fluid that drains from the blisters.

While shingles is rarely spread by breathing in the varicella-zoster virus the way airborne viruses are spread, it is always advisable to stay away from people who have not had chickenpox or its vaccine and to always cover your rashes. Keep.

How can single people be treated?

Although there is no cure for shingles, doctors say there are treatments to control the symptoms.

A vaccine can protect you from postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) as well as infection, a common complication resulting from shingles. Doctors say healthy adults above 50 years of age should get the vaccine, which is given in two doses. Although it does not have any major side effects, some mild conditions like pain, redness and swelling at the injection site may occur.

The vaccine is given in two doses, separated by two to six months.

Who should not get the shingles vaccine?

According to doctors, shingles vaccine should not be given to people who:

• currently have shingles
• Have had a serious allergic reaction to a shingles vaccine in the past
• Have tested negative for immunity to the varicella-zoster virus, meaning they have never had chickenpox before, so, if you have never had chickenpox, you should get the chickenpox vaccine instead.
• Are sick with other infections and should wait until the illness is gone
• are pregnant and breastfeeding

Doctors say more than 85 percent of people age 70 and older are protected from shingles for at least four years after vaccination. And since the risk of shingles and PHN increases as you age, it’s important to have strong protection against this condition into your old age.

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