Shingles
Shingles, also known by its medical term herpes zoster, is a viral infection that causes a painful, red blistering rash. This rash will be localised to one area of nerve pattern, like the waist or back of the shoulder as common sites. Shingles is more common in people over 50 years of age. You cannot ‘catch’ shingles from another person, but you can catch chicken pox, which is the initial infection caused by the virus. Shingles is essentially a recurrence of chicken pox.
What are the symptoms of shingles?
It’s important to identify a shingles rash as early as possible because this is when treatment is most effective. Antiviral medications are most effective when taken within the first 72 hours. Initial symptoms include:
- burning, tingling or itching sensation, in one area on one side of the body
- sensitivity to light
- headache
- tiredness
In a few days, a rash will appear in the area where you felt burning, itching or tingling. This area will be on one side of your body around a skin nerve, called a dermatome.
The rash goes from painful red bumps to fluid-filled blisters until they burst and crust over as they begin to heal. This process occurs over 10-14 days.
What we can do for you….
Starting treatment as soon as possible is important in shingles to help prevent more severe nerve damage that can cause nerve pain that can persist anywhere from weeks to years, depending on the extent of the damage. This pain is referred to as post-herpetic neuralgia or PHN. If you don’t have symptoms but are concerned about shingles, talk to a WholeLife pharmacist about shingles vaccination.
In Queensland, Victoria and NSW, specially trained WholeLife pharmacists can treat your shingles through state government initiatives. Click the link below to book a consultation with our WholeLife Pharmacist today. If your local store is not listed, we recommend that you visit your GP or the nearest clinic for treatment. Or if you’re unsure what your rash is, come talk to us to see how we may be able to help.
