What is Shingles

 

Shingles is an infection of a dermatomal or cranial nerve by the herpes varicella zoster virus. The virus establishes a latent infection in the nerve and may become active at times of stress or a compromise of the immune system.

The pain usually begins during the early viral symptoms and can last up to 3 weeks before red raised blisters break out on the skin along the affected dermatomal nerve. Shingles treatments in amgtherapy are very successful using Frequency specific microcurrent. For shingles treatments.

What Causes Shingles

Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus which is the same virus which develops chicken pox. Anyone who has had a bout of chicken pox may get shingles. The varicella zoster virus can lie dormant in the body for years controlled by a healthy immune system. On reactivation the varicella zoster virus produces shingles along one or a number of nerve paths shown in the diagram bellow.

The virus may not necessarily travel the full length of the affected nerve.  The cause of the reemergence of the virus is not truly known but it is thought to be due to a weakened immune system, as the shingles is more often found in the aging population and with people with lowered immune systems. If you are suffering from pain where you used to have shingles it may be caused by post herpetic neuralgia.

Is Shingles Contagious

Shingles is contagious to a small number of people who have never had the chicken pox and shingles is contagious only if there is direct contact made to the open blisters in the early stages of development.

When someone is affected by the shingles they will experience tingling sensations and pain along the affected area, they will then develop blisters in that area as the acute phase of shingles begins. It is at this stage as the blisters ooze the virus that it is contagious. The formation of the blisters may last for 5-7 days and the person with shingles will be contagious until all the blisters have crusted over.

However if someone is susceptible to the shingles being contagious and has been in contact with the virus in the active stage they will experience an outbreak of chicken pox and not the shingles ( as the shingles is developed from a dormant varicella zoster virus from a bout of the chicken pox). It is then possible that the now active chicken pox will become dormant and may lead to shingles at a later stage.

Chicken pox can be dangerous to some groups of people, and the affected person should avoid contact with anyone who is pregnant, newborns and anyone with a weakened immune system during the shingles contagious stage.

To make an appointment please contact us at amgtherapy today.