Herpes
Zoster Shingles Virus: Part 2 of the Chickenpox Virus
Do
you remember getting sick with the chickenpox when you were
a child? Your parents may have tried to help you by giving
you a bath and putting calamine lotion on your itchy, red
sores. Your mom and dad also probably told you not to scratch
the spots, no matter how much you wanted to. Recalling the
chickenpox may trigger a bit of childhood
nostalgia, but if you have ever had the chickenpox,
you are at risk for a secondary, more serious infection
called herpes zoster, the shingles virus. As a matter of
fact, it is estimated that 20 percent of people will develop
the herpes zoster shingles virus in their lifetime, totaling
about 500,000 people annually in the United States.
What
causes chickenpox to come back as shingles? After you have
the chickenpox, it is possible for virus particles to settle
into the nervous system and lie dormant. In this inactive
state, the shingles virus (herpes zoster) remains close
to the spinal cord and brain. Once the herpes zoster shingles
virus becomes active again, a set of complex and often severe
symptoms occur along the affected nerve, including:
- Numbness,
tingling, or itching, usually on one side of the body
or face
- Burning
or shooting pain, often severe
- A
painful red rash of fluid-filled blisters
- The
rash resembles chickenpox and is located along a defined
band, often on the torso
After
the rash develops, the blisters will break open to form
scabs which generally heal within about 2 weeks. If the
herpes zoster shingles virus occurs on the face or head,
it can permanently affect hearing and vision. Another possible
serious complication of the herpes zoster shingles virus
is pain that lasts for months or years.
The
shingles virus is most common in people over the age of
50, but anyone who has had chickenpox could possibly become
sick with shingles. This extremely painful illness tends
to strike people with weakened immune systems, so anything
a person can do to boost the immune system may help prevent
an outbreak of the herpes zoster shingles virus.
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