Shingles (Herpes Zoster), which many people know as a name, is actually not a very well-known disease. Stating that this problem, which affects approximately 20-30 percent of adults, is closely related to the immune status, Dermatologist Dr. Aliye Sevdem Gülcan pointed out that shingles, although rare, can sometimes cause serious complications such as long-term nerve pain and vision loss. For this reason, Dr. Gülcan pointed out that the disease should be taken seriously and pointed out the importance of vaccination to prevent the disease.

What Causes Shingles?

Shingles, a painful and rashy disease, is a problem closely related to the immune system. Stating that the disease occurs especially in cases of stress, fatigue or weakened immune system and seriously reduces the quality of life of the person, Yeditepe University Hospitals Skin Diseases Specialist pointed out that especially in the winter months we are in, increasing infectious diseases and weakened immune system can increase the risk of shingles. “During this period, the body becomes more vulnerable as viral infections such as flu and colds increase. If the person had chickenpox in childhood, the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that causes chickenpox can reactivate and trigger shingles.”

What is Shingles?

Shingles, more commonly known as “night burn”, is caused by the varicella zoster virus and is seen in approximately 20-30 percent of adults. Stating that an estimated one million cases are detected in the United States each year, our expert said, “Shingles is a viral disease that occurs when the varicella-zoster virus, which remains hidden in the nerve roots and causes chickenpox, is reactivated after a previous chickenpox infection.” “In a person who has chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. Shingles occurs as a result of the activation of the virus at some point in their life. However, people who have never had chickenpox or who have not been vaccinated against chickenpox can be infected with VZV from a person with the disease. In other words, they can get the virus.”

Who Gets Shingles?

Stating that the incidence of shingles is strongly correlated with the immune status and that shingles rarely develops in individuals with strong immunity, our expert said, “People with weak immune systems are 100 times more likely to develop shingles than healthy people. People undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for any reason such as bone marrow or organ transplantation or leukemia, lymphoma or solid malignancy may be at risk for shingles. Long-term use of immunosuppressive medication for chronic diseases such as HIV infection, diabetes and rheumatologic diseases also plays a role in the development of shingles. In addition, many factors such as advanced age, emotional stress, the presence of acute or chronic illness play a triggering role in the emergence of the disease.”

What are the Symptoms of Shingles?

Stating that the first symptom of shingles is usually severe pain in a unilateral, one-sided, specific area, burning, stinging, on the right or left side of the body, our specialist explained the following about the symptoms: “Within a few days following the first symptoms, a rash starts in the same area and spreads to that area. Over time, the rash fills with fluid and then dries up and falls out, which can take 2-3 weeks on average.”

Shingles can occur without a rash

Stating that the disease can occur without a rash, albeit very rarely, and this makes the diagnosis difficult, our specialist said, “However, although rare, shingles can sometimes involve the face in the eye or ear area, in these cases, emergency treatment is required to prevent important complications such as vision loss or hearing loss.” She said. 

How to Prevent Shingles?

Pointing out the importance of vaccination both to prevent the disease and to prevent possible complications, the dermatologist continued his words as follows; “The vaccine does not completely eliminate the risk of getting shingles, but the shingles vaccine can alleviate the course of the disease, reduce its severity and reduce the risk of pain due to long-term nerve damage after shingles, called postherpetic neuralgia. For this reason, it is especially important to vaccinate people over the age of 50 as the risk increases with age, people whose immune system is weakened due to illnesses or treatments, and those who have had chickenpox as the risk of exposure to the disease is high.”

Is Shingles Contagious?

Stating that people who are infected with the disease are not in danger of spreading the virus before the blisters appear or after the rashes are crusted, our expert gave the following information about what to do to prevent the virus from passing to others; “One of the main things to be done to prevent the virus from infecting others is to keep the rash area covered. In addition, items such as personal clothing and towels should not be shared with others. Contact should be avoided, especially in pregnant women who have not been vaccinated against chickenpox, those with low immunity, those with weak immune systems, cancer patients and babies under one month of age, as the infection can be severe. Sports that require contact should be avoided. Another important point is hand hygiene. Hands should be washed in contact with the rash.”

Is There a Treatment for Shingles?

Reminding that even after shingles is cured, many patients continue to suffer from moderate to severe pain known as postherpetic neuralgia, our expert said, “For this reason, it is important to diagnose early and start anti-viral treatment within the first 2-3 days to prevent complications.” Stating that it is possible to control the spread of the virus with the drugs used in the treatment of shingles and at the same time reduce the duration and severity of the infection, Dr. Aliye Sevdem Gülcan said, “However, since the effectiveness of the drugs is highest in the first 72 hours after the complaints begin, it is very important to start treatment early. In addition, painkillers and antibiotic creams on the rash are also used to relieve and control pain. The important point at this point is to consult a physician on time. In addition, in order to protect against postherpetic neuralgia and other complications, it is extremely important for people over the age of 50 and people with chronic diseases to have a shingles vaccine.” She said.