Shingles
Shingles (Herpes Zoster) is a painful and unpleasant condition that will affect 10 per 1000 New Zealanders over the age of 60 this year. Shingles initially presents with a burning sensation in usually only one part of the body, followed a day or two later with a rash. The rash looks very simliar to chicken pox spots; raised and filled with a watery fluid. However, the condition seems quite different. The rash typically covers a smaller area of skin which follows a nerve pathway such as along a rib. It is the fact that the nerve is involved that causes shingles to be so painful. Shingles is not contracted from another person. The virus is in fact already in the body as it is stored in the spinal cord from a previous episode of chicken pox. The virus may have survived in the body since childhood. The cause of reactivation is often not known. However, being run down or having a low immune system could contribute. Left untreated, the pain from shingles may last weeks or months and, on occasions longer. If caught early, preferably at the burning stage, anti viral medication can be effective in reducing the severity of the rash and the pain.
Pain relief such as Paracetamol can be helpful. Antihistamines should ease the itching. Cold compressions also give relief Nerve calming medication has a role if pain is ongoing. Capsaicin, an ointment originally found in peppers and rubbed in to the skin can numb the burning. Whilst it is possible to catch chicken pox from someone with shingles, it is only the fluid in the blisters that is infectious. If the rash is covered, people are generally thought not to be contagious. Vaccination to prevent shingles is increasing in popularity and is available from your local GP at an approximate cost of $240. The duration or effect of the vaccine is 7.7 years on average, so repeating the vaccination after 6 years is recommended. Vaccination is most popular in the 60 to 69 age group where the incidence of shingles is increasing but the vaccination still provides good protection. The vaccine is not recommended to those who have certain allergies or those who have an already weakened immune system or pregnant woman.
The key message is that if you suspect that you have shingles, seek medical advice for early treatment
