Shingles Questions

1. How Do You Know if Someone Has Shingles?

   The telltale symptoms of shingles (herpes zoster, a viral infection in a nerve) usually include:
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2. What Is Shingles?

   Shingles, also called herpes zoster, is a painful skin rash caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus. This virus is the same one that gives people chicken pox. After a person recovers from chicken pox, the virus retreats to the body's nerves, where it can hibernate indefinitely...
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer, 2 Community Answers

3. How Is Shingles Treated?

   For most people, including older adults, shingles will eventually get better on its own, without any treatment. But starting antiviral medications early on can help reduce the severity of the symptoms. That's why it's wise to see a doctor when you suspect shingles...
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4. What if Pain Persists Even After a Shingles Rash Clears Up?

   It's common for pain to continue for several weeks after the telltale rash and blisters of shingles have cleared. When pain is still present more than four months later, this is called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). This condition causes the pain of shingles to last for weeks or months, sometimes years...
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer, 6 Community Answers

5. What can I do at home to ease pain of shingles?

   The best way to take care of shingles at home is to be vigilant about taking the medications ordered by a doctor, and to let the doctor know if you frequently feel moderate or strong pain.
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

6. What can be done for post-shingles itching?

   Shingles is so tough! When someone develops pain or itching after the shingles rash heals, this is called post-herpetic neuralgia. Treatments for this include nerve medications (like gabapentin), local anethestetics (lidocaine or capsacin), pain medications, or antidepressants...
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7. Do I need shingles vaccine if I had chicken pox?

   Yes, even if you haven't had chicken pox, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the shingles vaccine (Zostavax, which was approved in 2006) for all adults over age 60. Many older adults don't remember whether they've had chicken pox, but the CDC says that 99 percent of adults over age 40 have probably had it...
   FAQ 1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

8. Can a shingles appear be on the opposite side of the body from the first outbreak?

   Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. After you've had chicken pox initially, the virus will lie dormant in the nerves in spinal cord and brain. At any time, the virus can be reactivated, causing a painful rash (shingles) on one side of the body...
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9. Does Medicare pay for shingles vaccine?

   No, it won't. In general, Medicare doesn't do a very good job of covering preventive medical care . The only immunizations it covers are a yearly flu shot, the pneumonia vaccine, and the vaccine against hepatitis B (if you are at medium or high risk for contracting the disease).
   1 Expert Answer, 1 Community Answer

10. Are shingles caused by nervousness?

    The term shingles refers to a condition that occurs when a person who has previously been infected with chickenpox (the herpes zoster virus) that was previously dormat is reactivated. The condition is manifested in symptoms that can include burning pain followed by rashes lasting anywhere from days to months that eventually clear...
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11. Are there side effects from using Valtrex to treat shingles?

    Yes, there are some side effects from using Valtrex in the treatment of shingles. The main side effects from Valtrex are having a headache, having an upset stomach, occasional vomiting, diarrhea or loose stools and constipation. These can occur sporadically or may occur all at once for an extended amount of time...
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12. Can a person get shingles more than once?

    ladynajera is correct. I too have had shingles more times than I can count and I'm mid-50's. They happen when your immune system is run down, your stressed etc. One of my sons had shingles when he was 3 years of age.
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13. Can shingles be misdiagnosed?

    Shingles is a common name for a viral disease called "herpes zoster" and is characterized by skin irritations including rashes and blisters which are limited to a select area of the body. Symptoms of this disease include nonspecific symptoms early on, such as headache, fever, a feeling of uneasiness...
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14. Can shingles cause a fever?

    I have had the rash for going on 4 days and have had a fever for about 6 days it runs about 99.5 to 100.5 so a low grade fever but it does continue after the rash appears...as least mine has.
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15. Can you die from shingles?

    Only in rare cases can one die from shingles. Severe complications may include years of pain and discomfort, pneumonia, eye problems, hearing problems, and brain inflammation.
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16. Can you get shingles if you had the shingles shot?

    The Shingles vaccination is not a guarantee you will never get shingles. However, if the shot doesn't prevent you from contracting shingles, it will help reduce the severity and length of time you have the virus.
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17. Can you inherit shingles?

    Shingles is not a genetic disease and cannot be inherited. Singles is an infectious disease whic can be cause by such things like bacteria, fungi virsus, and parasites. Shingles can also be spread from one person to another. When you have shingles You monstly want to stay home, treat it, and get better as soon as possible as to not get anyone sick...
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18. Can Zocor be used to treat shingles?

    Zocor is a prescription drug which is commonly used to treat high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels in adults and juveniles. Zocor has also been proven effective at preventing cardiovascular disease. The most common generic name for this drug is simvastatin...
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19. Do shingles itch?

    Yes they do Itch. But not only do they Itch, but they are very painful as well. But no fears. There are several home remedies that work very well and are cheap to make. We found that Mixing Crushed Aspirin with a Lotion with Vitamin E in it, provided the most relief. It would Numb the areas where the Virus was hurting the most...
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20. Do vitamin supplements help with shingles?

    It really depends on who you ask if vitamins help with shingles. When my mom had shingles the doctors just put her on Valtrex and told her to not worry about taking the holistic medicine path. However when she talked to the home remedy specialist they told her that she should take a combination of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and Vitamin E...
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