Shingles Disease

• Shingles

This selection from the eMedTV archives talks about shingles, a condition caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. This page offers an in-depth look at shingles, including information on its possible symptoms, risk factors, and treatments.

• Causes of Shingles

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (the same virus that causes chickenpox). This eMedTV segment offers more information on the causes of shingles, including an explanation of how the varicella-zoster virus becomes reactivated.

• Shingles Risk Factors

This eMedTV Web page discusses several shingles risk factors, including advanced age, a weakened immune system, and the development of chickenpox during pregnancy. This page offers an in-depth look at these risk factors.

• Is Shingles Contagious?

Is shingles contagious? As this eMedTV Web page explains, shingles is not contagious. This Web page also discusses how a person with shingles can cause chickenpox in someone who has not had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine.

• Symptoms of Shingles

As this eMedTV segment explains, common symptoms of shingles include burning pain or numbness in or under the skin, as well as a rash of fluid-filled blisters. This article describes these and several other symptoms of shingles.

• Shingles Diagnosis

Before making a shingles diagnosis, your doctor will ask you several questions and perform a physical exam. This eMedTV page describes the process of diagnosing shingles, including information on other conditions with similar symptoms.

• Shingles Treatment

As this eMedTV article explains, shingles treatment can include antiviral drugs, painkillers, anesthetic patches, among other things. This page outlines possible shingles treatment options and discusses the goals of shingles treatment.

• Shingles Complications

Shingles complications can include problems such as infections, scarring, and muscle weakness. This eMedTV page lists several possible complications and also offers information on the groups of people who are most likely to experience them.

• Is Shingles Life Threatening?

Is shingles life threatening? As this eMedTV article explains, shingles is usually not life-threatening. This article discusses how people with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for developing life-threatening complications from shingles.

• Cure for Shingles

As this eMedTV page explains, there is currently no cure for shingles. However, early treatment with antiviral drugs can reduce the length and severity of a shingles attack. This page talks about these antiviral drugs and the new shingles vaccine.

• Shingles Rash

The shingles rash is often made up of small fluid-filled blisters that are similar to chickenpox. This eMedTV resource offers an overview of the shingles rash, including information on how long it takes for the typical rash to subside.

• Shingles Pain

Shingles pain can be mild or severe, and it usually subsides within three to five weeks. This portion of the eMedTV library discusses the different types of shingles pain, including pain that persists long after the shingles rash has healed.

• Shingles and Pregnancy

Developing shingles during pregnancy is rare, but the condition may pose some risk to the unborn child. This eMedTV segment offers an overview of shingles and pregnancy, including information on the treatment options available for pregnant women.

• Postherpetic Neuralgia

This eMedTV article talks about postherpetic neuralgia, a shingles complication characterized by pain that lasts for months, or even years, after the shingles rash has healed. This page covers the causes, symptoms, and treatments of this condition.