Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital

Shingles is a painful rash that is usually shaped like a band. It can affect people of all ages, but it is most common in those older than 50. Another name for shingles is “herpes zoster.”
Shingles is caused by a virus called varicella-zoster virus. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After someone has chickenpox, the virus sometimes hides out, “asleep” in the body. Years later, it can “wake up” and cause shingles. The first time a person is infected with that virus, he or she gets chickenpox, not shingles.

It is not possible to “catch” shingles from someone who has the rash. But if you have never had chickenpox or gotten the chickenpox vaccine, it is possible to “catch” the virus and then get sick with chickenpox. Shingles and chickenpox are caused by the same virus.

If you have never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, you should avoid contact with anyone who has shingles. It is especially important that you do not touch their rash. If you do, you could get sick with chickenpox. In rare cases, it is possible to get chickenpox from just being near someone with shingles.
The symptoms of shingles at first, causes weird sensations on your skin. You might feel itching, burning, pain, or tingling. Some people get a fever, feel sick, or get a headache. Within 1 to 2 days, a rash with blisters appears. Blisters most often appear in a band across the chest and back. They can show up on other parts of the body, too. The blisters cause pain that can be mild or severe.

Within 3 to 4 days, shingles blisters can become open sores or “ulcers.” These ulcers can sometimes get infected. Within 7 to 10 days, the rash should scab over and start to heal.
Shingles can be treated. It depends on how long you have had the shingles rash:

• If you have had the rash for less than 3 days, your doctor will prescribe a medicine to help you get rid of the virus. These medicines are called “” They can speed your recovery and reduce the chances that you will have shingles-related problems such as PHN.
• If you have had the rash for more than 3 days, your doctor might or might not prescribe medicine. Antiviral medicine might help if new blisters are still appearing, or if your immune system (the body’s infection-fighting system) is weaker than normal.
• People can reduce their chances of getting shingles by getting the shingles vaccine. The vaccine can also make the symptoms of shingles milder if they do occur. There are 2 vaccines that are available for adults over 50 years. Your doctor can tell you if you should get a shingles vaccine, and which one is best for you.