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Suggest Treatment For Shingles Rashes On The Leg
Question: I had the Shingles rash run from the right calf up my leg and across my thigh and lower back. The right knee no longer accepts the load of rising from a setting position and I have to pull my self up. Recently I have had a series of pains that have moved around my right leg.
Now I find that there is discomfort in my left leg and I need to use both hands to lift my self.
I am 88 years old. Does shingles continue to spread thru my body? It has been a couple of years since the first outbreak on my right calf. YYYY@YYYY
Now I find that there is discomfort in my left leg and I need to use both hands to lift my self.
I am 88 years old. Does shingles continue to spread thru my body? It has been a couple of years since the first outbreak on my right calf. YYYY@YYYY
Brief Answer:
Shingles does not cause muscular weakness, it does not affect motor nerves
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at HCM.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
Shingles is an infection caused by varicella zoster and that sleeps in our nerve endings and might get activated time after time. It generally affects the sensory nerves, it travels through those nerves and gives vesicles on the skin and pain. Pain might go away with the infection or remain there and be very bothersome.
Shingles might come back time after time and this is usual. The virus might travel through the nerve and cause the symptoms and a new episode as it is dormant in your body.
But shingles does not normally affect the motor nerves so it is not usual to cause problems with lifting your legs which is a function of muscles.
There are other causes that might affect the muscle strength and cause difficulty sitting or standing up.
Because varicella does not affect the motor nerves and the fact that your muscular weakness can not be explained by the shingles I would recommend you to have a visit with a doctor and find the cause of the muscle weakness in your legs.
Your doctor might do a neurological examination, checking muscular strength, reflexes, sensation and tone in your extremities and if abnormalities are found and if he finds muscular weakness he might ask for some tests like MRI to check the brain and rule out stroke or other causes of muscular weakness.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question
Kind Regards,
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
Shingles does not cause muscular weakness, it does not affect motor nerves
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at HCM.
I carefully read your question and understand your concern.
Shingles is an infection caused by varicella zoster and that sleeps in our nerve endings and might get activated time after time. It generally affects the sensory nerves, it travels through those nerves and gives vesicles on the skin and pain. Pain might go away with the infection or remain there and be very bothersome.
Shingles might come back time after time and this is usual. The virus might travel through the nerve and cause the symptoms and a new episode as it is dormant in your body.
But shingles does not normally affect the motor nerves so it is not usual to cause problems with lifting your legs which is a function of muscles.
There are other causes that might affect the muscle strength and cause difficulty sitting or standing up.
Because varicella does not affect the motor nerves and the fact that your muscular weakness can not be explained by the shingles I would recommend you to have a visit with a doctor and find the cause of the muscle weakness in your legs.
Your doctor might do a neurological examination, checking muscular strength, reflexes, sensation and tone in your extremities and if abnormalities are found and if he finds muscular weakness he might ask for some tests like MRI to check the brain and rule out stroke or other causes of muscular weakness.
I hope this is helpful and answers to your question
Kind Regards,
Dr Antoneta Zotaj
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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