Shingles is a painful disease caused by the same virus as the chicken pox — the herpes zoster virus– and affects an estimated 1 million people annually. In fact, more than half of all Americans will have experienced shingles by age 80.
Since shingles is very common, you may have heard differing information from friends, fellow caregivers, and healthcare providers. Let’s sort the truth about shingles from myth.
Shingles 101
Shingles is the reactivation of the dormant chicken pox virus that uniquely affects on side of the body. In the event of altered immunity, age, illness or other stressor, the virus re-emerges from its long-time home in the spinal nerves and a painful skin rash breaks out. Shingles may begin with pronounced fatigue and typically develops in three stages: severe pain or tingling along the nerve pathway, itchy rash, and blisters that resemble chickenpox.
Shingles myths and facts
Myth: Only elderly people get shingles. Read More.
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