A new global survey shows that 56.6% of Indian participants aged 50 and above know little to nothing about shingles, although more than 90% of adults above 50 years have this virus in their body, and are vulnerable to the disease.
About Shingles Disease:
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that causes an outbreak of a painful rash or blisters on the skin.
The rash most often appears as a band of rashes or blisters in one area of the body.
Shingles can occur anywhere on the body.
The risk of shingles goes up as you get older and it is most common in people over age 50.
● What Causes Shingles?
It's caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox.
When you have chickenpox as a child, your body fights off the varicella-zoster virus and the physical signs of chickenpox fade away, but the virus always remains in your body.
In adulthood, sometimes the virus becomes active again.
This time, the varicella-zoster virus makes its second appearance in the form of shingles.
Is Shingles Contagious?
Shingles is not contagious, but the virus can be spread to someone who has never had chickenpox.
This will cause chickenpox, not shingles.
Symptoms:
The symptoms of shingles can include pain, itching, tingling, and numbness, as well as fever, headache, chills, and fatigue.
Shingles isn't life-threatening. But it can be very painful.
The most common complication is postherpetic neuralgia. This is a painful condition that causes shingles pain for a long time after your blisters have cleared.
Prevention: There is a vaccine called Shingrix available, which helps in preventing shingles and its complications.
Treatment: There is no cure for shingles. Antiviral medications can reduce the severity and duration of shingles, especially if started early.
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