Mild Shingles

Must Know Information about Mild Shingles


If the varicella-zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, becomes reactivated in a patient he or she will get a case of shingles; depending on the extent and spread of the symptoms it can be a case of severe or mild shingles. The virus stays dormant in chicken pox victims for years and can become active again when the patient’s immune system is weak. This may happen if the person is fighting some other infection or from the process of aging. It is not really clear what reactivates the virus.


A person experiencing the following symptoms is likely fighting a case of mild shingles:

  1. Pain is mentioned by many patients as the single biggest issue they have to contend with when fighting shingles. It tends to be a persistent pain and even tiny triggers seem to set off the nerve endings into massive spasms of pain. It is described as an unpleasant tingling sensation and sometimes it is described as a burning sensation. With mild shingles the pain tends to be limited to one side of the body. The area or skin in the body zone affected by shingles tends to be abnormally sensitive.

  2. Contradictorily, numbness is another indication of shingles. This seems to be the flip side of pain is some patients because it again tends to be localized and is sometimes preceded by a prickling or tingling feeling.

  3. After a couple of days of the earlier symptoms, a rash may develop in the case of some people. It tends to be fluid-filled skin bumps and there is some redness in the region. Sometimes it triggers itching.

  4. As a matter of natural progression, the next step is the blister formation. Blistering happens after the skin becomes inflamed during the rash and is a first step in the healing process. While the blisters look scary and may likely break and lead to ulceration, once they turn hard and become scabs a patient is set on the road to recovery.

  5. While most symptoms of shingles are on the skin, some patients also complain of digestive problems. Patients may experience nausea and some stomach upset and this may progress to cramping and abdominal pain.

  6. Chills and fever are an inevitable part of shingles whether it is a mild case or a more severe episode. There may also be body ache and head ache which lead to many patients suspecting that they have a virus-induced influenza.

If you are experiencing any or all of these symptoms, you should visit a doctor at the earliest possible. This is, of course, especially true if you have had chickenpox before. Shingles can be managed well with medical intervention. Anti-viral medication is used in most cases to fight the virus that causes the disease and pain relievers are prescribed to deal with the pain or burning sensation. The doctor is likely to recommend a course of treatment that correlates with the severity of the symptoms.


Those experiencing shingles will be relieved to know that it is not contagious. However, be aware that those who have not had chickenpox may get that by coming in contact with the varicella-zoster virus. So, it is good to minimize contact with people and to make sure that those who are helping with care-giving have already had chickenpox.


Shingles can be a recurrent problem and in that sense it cannot be completely cured. So, the best approach is to try and contain the symptoms and minimize the body’s discomfort. And mild shingles is particularly easy to manage if you educate yourself about it and catch it in the early stages.


 

 

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