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What Causes Shingles?

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Posted on Tue, 4 Apr 2017
Question: what is shingles? How is it treated? How long does it usually last. It is
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Monika Dede (29 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash.

Detailed Answer:
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus that is the same virus that causes chickenpox.
Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso.
The main symptoms and signs of shingles are pain, burning, numbness or tingling, sensitivity to touch,a red rash that begins a few days after the pain, fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over, itching and fever.

After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain and years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.

Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles, while early treatment with acyclovir tb (or intravenous if the shingle is located to eye, neck or face) can help shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications. But there is no cure for shingles.
Shingles generally lasts between two and six weeks.
I hope my answer helps you.
Feel free to ask me further.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Monika Dede

Infectious Diseases Specialist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 1005 Questions

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What Causes Shingles?

Brief Answer: Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Detailed Answer: Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus that is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso. The main symptoms and signs of shingles are pain, burning, numbness or tingling, sensitivity to touch,a red rash that begins a few days after the pain, fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over, itching and fever. After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain and years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles, while early treatment with acyclovir tb (or intravenous if the shingle is located to eye, neck or face) can help shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications. But there is no cure for shingles. Shingles generally lasts between two and six weeks. I hope my answer helps you. Feel free to ask me further.