The risk of spreading VZV to others is low if you cover the shingles rash. People with shingles cannot spread the virus before their rash blisters appear or after the rash crusts. Also see Treating Shingles. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Shingles Herpes Zoster. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Minus Related Pages. Quick Facts. You cannot get shingles from someone who has shingles.
You can get chickenpox from someone who has shingles if you have never had chickenpox or never received the chickenpox vaccine. The main symptom of shingles is pain, followed by a rash that develops into itchy blisters , similar in appearance to chickenpox. New blisters may appear for up to a week, but a few days after appearing they become yellowish in colour, flatten and dry out.
The pain may be a constant, dull or burning sensation and its intensity can vary from mild to severe. You may have sharp stabbing pains from time to time, and the affected area of skin will usually be tender. In some cases, shingles may cause some early symptoms that develop a few days before the painful rash first appears. These early symptoms can include:. An episode of shingles typically lasts around two to four weeks, however in some cases the pain may last for many weeks once the rash has disappeared.
Shingles usually affects a specific area on one side of the body and doesn't cross over the midline of the body an imaginary line running from between your eyes down past the belly button.
Any part of your body can be affected, including your face and eyes, but the chest and abdomen tummy are the most common areas.
Adults 18 years and over with symptoms of shingles can get advice and treatment directly from a pharmacy. If the pharmacist cannot treat you they may recommend you see your GP. Find your local pharmacy on Scotland's Service directory. In most cases your pharmacist should be able to provide treatment, however they may recommend that you need to contact your GP practice for treatment if required.
You should see your GP if you are under 18 years old, pregnant or have a weakened immune system the body's natural defence system and you think you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles and haven't had chickenpox before. Early treatment may help reduce the severity of your symptoms and the risk of developing complications.
It's uncommon for someone with shingles to be referred to hospital, but your GP may consider seeking specialist advice if:.
Most people have chickenpox in childhood, but after the illness has gone, the varicella-zoster virus remains dormant inactive in the nervous system.
The immune system keeps the virus in check, but later in life it can be reactivated and cause shingles. It's not known exactly why the shingles virus is reactivated at a later stage in life, but most cases are thought to be caused by having lowered immunity protection against infections and diseases.
It's not possible to catch shingles from someone with the condition or from someone with chickenpox. However, you can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles if you haven't had chickenpox before. The blisters that form contain live virus. If a person who has never had chickenpox makes direct contact with an open blister or something with the fluid on it, they can contract the virus and develop chickenpox.
If you have shingles, you're contagious until the last blister has dried and scabbed over. To help prevent the virus being passed on, avoid sharing towels or flannels, swimming, or playing contact sports. You should also avoid work or school if your rash is weeping oozing fluid and can't be covered. Chickenpox can be particularly dangerous for certain groups of people. If you have shingles, avoid:. Although there's no cure for shingles, treatment is available to relieve the symptoms until the condition resolves.
Most cases of shingles last around two to four weeks. Read more about treating shingles. Shingles can sometimes lead to complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia. This is where severe nerve pain lasts for several months or more after the rash has gone.
Complications such as this are usually in elderly people who have had the condition and those with a weakened immune system. Read more about the complications of shingles. It's not always possible to prevent shingles, but a vaccine called Zostavax can reduce your chances of developing the condition.
If you still develop shingles after having this vaccine, it may be milder and last for a shorter time than usual. Read more about shingles vaccination. This vaccine's now routinely offered in Scotland as a single injection to people aged Some cases of shingles can affect one of the eyes and are known as ophthalmic shingles. This occurs when the virus is reactivated in part of the trigeminal nerve, a nerve that controls sensation and movement in your face.
An episode of shingles typically lasts around two to four weeks. The main symptoms are pain, followed by a rash. Any part of your body can be affected, including your face and eyes, although the chest and abdomen tummy are the most common areas where shingles develops. In some cases, shingles may cause some early prodromal symptoms that develop a few days before the painful rash first appears.
Not everyone will experience these prodromal symptoms. A high temperature is particularly uncommon. Eventually, most people with shingles experience a localised "band" of pain in the affected area. The pain can be a constant, dull or burning sensation and its intensity can vary from mild to severe.
Pain is less common in young healthy people and is rare in children. It usually starts a few days before the rash appears and can remain for a few days or weeks after the rash has healed. The shingles rash usually appears on one side of your body and develops on the area of skin related to the affected nerve. Initially, the shingles rash appears as red blotches on your skin before developing into itchy blisters similar in appearance to chickenpox.
Scabs then form where the blisters were, which may leave some slight scarring. It usually takes two to four weeks for the rash to heal completely.
Shingles is not usually serious, but you should see your GP as soon as possible if you recognise the symptoms. You should also see your GP if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system the body's natural defence system and you think you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles and haven't had chickenpox before.
Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which is the virus that causes chickenpox. After you have had chickenpox , the varicella-zoster virus lies dormant inactive inside your body. It can become reactivated at a later stage and cause shingles. It is not known exactly why the virus is reactivated, but it is linked to having lowered immunity protection against infection and diseases. Your immunity to illness and infection can become lowered if there is a problem with your immune system the body's natural defence system.
This can happen as a result of:. It is not possible to catch shingles from someone else with the condition, or from someone with chickenpox. However, it is possible for someone who has never had chickenpox to catch it from someone with shingles, as the shingles blisters contains the live virus.
In the UK, chickenpox is so common during childhood that 9 out of 10 adults have already had it and will not be at risk from someone with shingles.
The blisters that develop as a result of shingles contain virus particles. If you have not had chickenpox before, you can catch it from direct contact with the fluid from the blisters of someone who has shingles, or from something that has the fluid on it, such as bed sheets or a towel.
If you have shingles, you are contagious until the last blister has scabbed over. This will usually occur after about 10 to 14 days. Before the blisters appear and after they have crusted, there is no risk of transmitting the virus. A person with shingles may also experience common symptoms of a viral infection, such as a fever , chills, fatigue , and a headache. If they do not have active blisters, the person will not pass on the virus.
If shingles does not develop in the oral cavity, coughing or sneezing will not spread the virus. Only contact with the fluid from the blisters can transmit the virus. Tips for stopping the virus from spreading to other people include :. If a pregnant woman develops chicken pox, especially 5—21 days before giving birth, it can be dangerous for the unborn child.
Children should avoid contact with blisters of chicken pox or shingles until they have had the vaccination, to reduce the risk of illness and complications. If a person in any of these groups comes into contact with the varicella virus, their immune system may not be able to defend them adequately against the effects. This means that they have a higher risk of developing chicken pox if they have not had it before. Once a person with a weak immune system has the chicken pox virus, they have a higher risk of developing shingles and its complications.
They are also likely to have these diseases for longer, and the symptoms may be more severe. Others who may have a higher risk of shingles include people with:. Also, experiencing physical trauma and using medications called statins can each increase the risk of shingles. Anyone who has concerns about developing shingles should speak to a doctor, who can advise about vaccination and other ways to reduce the risk.
The main symptom of shingles is a painful rash that can develop on:. Blisters appear as the rash develops. After 7—10 days, the blisters start to dry up. Symptoms usually disappear after 2—4 weeks. Apart from the rash and symptoms of a viral infection, shingles can lead to complications, some of which can be severe, long-lasting, or both.
A person with PHN will have prolonged pain in the area of the rash after it has gone away. The pain can be severe, and it can last for several years. A doctor will usually diagnose shingles after looking at the rash and asking the person about their symptoms.
In some cases, they need to test for the virus. It is not possible to cure shingles or remove the virus from the body. However, antiviral medications can help manage symptoms, shorten the duration of the illness, and reduce the risk of complications.
C alamine lotion is available for purchase online. One way of preventing shingles is to avoid contact with people who have the disease while their blisters are active. If a person has chicken pox, they usually only have it once. The same is true for shingles. A person who has had it before is unlikely to have it again.
Teens and adults aged 13 years or older who have never had chicken pox or the vaccine, but who would like to, should receive two doses of the varicella vaccination at least 28 days apart. Some people should not have the chicken pox vaccine. They include pregnant women and people who currently have a moderate or severe illness.
Vaccination against shingles is available for adults who are 50 or older and who have had chicken pox or are not sure whether they have had it. The shingles vaccine is available to people who meet these criteria, regardless of whether they have already had shingles.
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