Every year outside of drug stores, you’ll see the signs: Get Your Shingles Vaccination Here! But do you know what shingles is and how you get it? Often, it’s not until you’re dealing with the virus yourself that you gain knowledge of it — and then you’re in the predicament of trying to eradicate it. Today, we’ll provide some education about shingles and ways you can both avoid getting it and what to do if you wind up getting it anyway.
Shingles: The Origins
Did you know that shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox? If you had chickenpox in childhood or as an early adult, even after the red spots and itchiness have passed, you still hold on to the virus, which remains latent within the body. In some people, it can morph into herpes zoster (shingles) from the original varicella zoster (chickenpox). This can occur years or decades after the original incidence. Shingles is most likely to affect seniors and those with compromised immune systems, and most cases occur in adults aged 60 or older.
What to Expect with Shingles
Before they see anything on their skin, many people with shingles experience burning pain, itching, or tingling in the affected area. That is followed by a shin rash that tends to affect only one side of the body, typically the torso, face, or limbs. The rash transforms into blisters, which are filled with the virus initially and then fill with blood, all the while causing pain and general discomfort. The blisters eventually scab over and heal, sometimes leaving scars or skin discoloration.
The entire process can last from one week to several, and it is typically associated with general malaise, which can include headache, itching, and pain.
[tweet_box]In rare cases, herpes zoster spreads to the eyes and ears, causing more serious — and sometimes long-lasting — issues.[/tweet_box]Preventing Outbreaks
Shingles is such a pervasive virus that a vaccine is readily available, Zostavax. Studies show that it can reduce risk of onset of the virus 50% and reduce the incidence of severe, persistent pain 66% should a patient become infected after being vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control has made a recommendation that people aged 60 or greater take advantage of the vaccine to prevent contracting shingles.
Adults also receive an immunity boost by being exposed to the disease in children with chickenpox. Nearly 25% of adult cases are avoided through this technique. However, with chickenpox vaccinations now becoming standard, this approach to boosting immunity is less and less viable.
What to Do When You Have Shingles
The biggest complaint about shingles is the associated pain. If you’re older, pain can be more debilitating than in a younger person. Once herpes zoster is diagnosed, allopathic physicians will typically treat with over-the-counter painkillers, calamine lotion, and antiviral medication. In more severe cases, steroids can be helpful in curbing acute pain.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine look at the whole body in treatment, and shingles is no different. A protocol is in place to use from the first symptoms, and the goal is to diminish those symptoms, including pain, and to reduce the amount of time shingles affect the body. Both acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapies have been proven to help patients through the worst of the symptoms of shingles, such as pain and discomfort. Herbal medicine can be taken internally as well as used topically, depending on the diagnosis and treatment modality.
If you believe you may have shingles, or are in the throes of the virus, time is of the essence. The earlier you can begin to Treating Shingles with Acupuncture, the faster the symptoms will dissipate. Harmony and Health Acupuncture is skilled in diagnosing and working with patients who are suffering from shingles, or herpes zoster. Call us today at 602-955-5444 to schedule your initial appointment.
