Shingles is a very common, and very painful, condition. If you treat shingles aggressively, it should subside earlier, and you're less likely to develop complications.
Causes
Shingles is really just chicken pox. The chicken pox virus, "varicella-zoster," lies dormant in the body's nerves and can reactivate, causing the painful condition shingles. Other illnesses or stress can lead to a , as can age.
Symptoms
The first symptoms of shingles include tiredness, headache and sensitivity to light. Pain develops, usually shooting or burning, as well as tingling and itching. A rash of blisters then appears where the pain occurs.
Aftereffects
People who have undergone a can experience postherpetic neuralgia, a condition in which pain lingers in the rash spot long after the blisters have healed.
Duration
A shingles rash can take a while to heal--anywhere from two to four weeks. Complications can last longer, although postherpetic neuralgia usually disappears by one to three months after onset.
Treatment
Treating shingles with antiviral medication within two days of developing the rash can help shorten its duration and reduce the risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia.
Tags: postherpetic neuralgia, painful condition,