Shingles Chicken Pox - Shingles Rash
The shingles virus is heavily related to the chicken pox. In an onset of chicken pox, it is the varicella zoster virus which brings about the chicken pox onset itself. An onset of shingles is also caused by the same virus, which is the varicella zoster virus. Shingles also has quite a similar look to the chicken pox, and also brings about the same itchiness on the skin. Shingles are a rash and blisters that form on the body, which makes that area of skin quite painful in some cases and also very irritating. However, unlike chicken pox, shingles does not occur on the whole body. Instead, it only appears and causes pain in one small particular area of the skin. Shingles is brought about when the virus that causes the chicken pox, the varicella zoster virus, decides to strike again at some point after a person has had the chickenpox. It usually attacks elder people with weaker immune systems. What has happened is that the varicella zoster virus remains in the body after the chickenpox and “sleeps” until it “attacks” again. Approximately 25% of all people who had had the chicken pox get an onset of shingles, and for these people it will be just the once normally.
Shingles is not contagious, for the reason that the varicella zoster virus is present in almost everyone’s bodies, and therefore it doesn’t require a transfer from one person to another. Simply put, it will attack a weak immune system. With that said, people who have not yet had the chicken pox can catch the chicken pox from a person who has shingles. Shingles is contagious to people who haven’t yet had the chicken pox if new blisters are forming on their skin and not all blisters have crusted yet.
Headaches and feeling woozy are one of the first signs that you are coming down with an onset of shingles. A rash will start forming on a certain area of your skin where you will soon feel pain and itchiness, followed by some blisters forming on your skin. This will generally last a couple of weeks, which can be very uncomfortable. After a few weeks no more new blisters should be forming and all of the blisters should begin to crust, which means that you are no longer contagious to those who have not yet had the chickenpox.
Some treatments to take away some of the pain and itch of the shingles are available. No cures have yet been confirmed, however, there is a vaccine for those over 60.