Shingles is a dermatological pathology caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The disease is accompanied by severe pain. The disease affects nerve cells and skin. If therapy is not started on time, this viral infection can lead to complications.
What is herpes zoster?
With this disease, one-sided skin rashes are observed on the body, caused by the infectious agent varicella-zoster. The causative agent affects the nerve peripheral endings and the skin. In addition, it leads to the development of chicken pox. In people who have been ill with this disease in childhood, the virus remains in the body and does not manifest itself in any way until the immune system fails.
Such a dermatological disease is a danger to others. It occurs when a herpesvirus infection is reactivated. Humans are the main carrier of this virus. If a person has chickenpox in childhood, the pathogen remains in hisbody, staying dormant for many years. It begins to manifest itself only when the defenses are weakened.
Shingles (herpes type 3) affects the intervertebral ganglia, causing intoxication, blistering and fever. The virus is especially dangerous for babies who have not had chicken pox. Rashes with this pathology can occur on the face, neck and neck.
This ailment occurs most often in children and the elderly. Mostly women and men over 50 are susceptible to infection. Everyone who has had chickenpox should know what herpes zoster is.
Factors provoking the development of the disease
Infection with herpes virus type 3 usually occurs in childhood. It is transmitted from a sick child. Shingles occurs in babies like chicken pox. After a complete cure, the infectious agent penetrates into certain centers of the nervous system and is in a latent state. During the incubation period, a person is not dangerous to others.
Herpes zoster occurs due to the weakening of the body's defenses. It is the failure of immunity that causes the activation of the zoster virus. The following factors can lead to such consequences:
- use of drugs that lower the immune system;
- impact of other diseases on organs and systems;
- excessive exercise;
- emotional overstrain and stress;
- surgical interventions.
Who's in the grouprisk?
The most susceptible to developing herpes zoster are people who use hormones, are infected with AIDS or HIV, have undergone organ transplants, and have diabetes. Another such disease occurs in chronic pathologies: heart failure, cirrhosis, tuberculosis, impaired renal function and hepatitis. Ringworm can also occur in patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
The pathogen comes out of its latent state, after which it penetrates the surface of the skin through the nerve processes, causing discomfort. Herpes is observed mainly in the elderly, because in old age the immune system often fails.
Signs of shingles
It is customary to divide the symptoms of this disease into a typical and atypical form. A photo showing what herpes zoster is, allows you to see how the rash looks like with this disease.
Typical symptoms
In the prodromal phase, signs of shingles are observed within 2-4 days. The patient during this period begins to feel pain in that nervous area where a herpetic rash will subsequently occur. At an early stage, problems with the digestive tract may appear, lymph nodes increase and the temperature rises. A distinctive feature of shingles is tingling in the area where the pathogen is active.
The next period of the disease is the stage of rashes. Vesicles (small vesicles) of various sizes (2-5 mm) appear on the body. In the first few days they are likeordinary red spots, but after three days these dots turn into bubbles. With typical signs, such rashes are somewhat reminiscent in shape and color of a herpetic rash on the lips.
After that, the healing phase begins. After about 14 days, with adequate therapy, the manifestations of herpes zoster disappear. During this period, regeneration of the skin occurs, however, neuralgic symptoms do not go away. A new layer of skin forms under the bubbles. The vesicles first dry up and become covered with crusts, and then fall off. After herpes zoster, barely noticeable pigment spots remain on the dermis.
Atypical manifestations
With abortive or mild form, one lesion of a small size is usually formed. Patients do not suffer from itching, discomfort and burning. After 3-4 days, the spread of spots on the skin stops.
The generalized form is observed in case of a serious malfunction of the immune system. After the typical rash, shingles begins to affect large areas of mucous membranes and skin.
During the gangrenous or severe form, rashes appear, encircling the localization sites and moving all the time. The disease is accompanied by the constant formation of new skin elements. The main reason for their appearance is severe immunodeficiency.
In the bullous form, herpetic eruptions closely adjoin each other. As a result, they merge and create one large formation. When the bubble dries up, a crust remains in the form of a huge dark spot.
Before eliminating herpes zoster on the body, a person should make sure that he is ill with this disease. After all, neuralgic signs can indicate other pathologies. Therefore, the first thing to do when a rash appears is to see a doctor.
Herpes zoster in young patients
Herpes zoster is very rare in children. After all, when the pathogen enters the body for the first time, it causes chickenpox in the child. As a result, antibodies are produced against this virus that protect against the appearance of lichen for a long time (about 10 years) and the recurrence of the disease.
Most of all, babies suffering from a violation of immunological reactivity are most susceptible to infection with this type of herpes. The virus can be transmitted from a mother to a newborn child if she was in contact with a carrier of the infection during pregnancy. When a pathogen enters the child's body, there are:
- rashes on the skin;
- acute fever;
- high temperature.
Symptoms of a neuralgic nature in children with shingles are not observed. Severe forms of herpes infection are extremely rare.
Lichen in adult patients
In adults, herpes zoster, a photo of which can be seen below, occurs after 25 years, as a rule, against the background of other pathologies or with a weakened immune system. The disease in this case takes on a relapsing character. It periodically makes itself felt and has an unfavorable prognosis for completehealing. Herpes zoster in adults should be treated exclusively under the supervision of an infectious disease specialist, self-medication is not allowed.
Discomfort with herpes
Pain in shingles is the main symptom of the disease. The causative agent after penetration into the body affects the nervous tissue, so such sensations are pronounced. They are especially intense in places where rashes occur.
If the pain does not disappear even after wound healing, most likely, we are talking about a complication of the pathology - postherpetic neuropathy. This happens not due to the progression of the disease, but due to damage to the nervous tissues by the virus, which are not restored so quickly. To get rid of it, the doctor changes the tactics of treatment and prescribes other drugs. Therapy in this condition is aimed at relieving inflammation and discomfort in the affected area. Pain in shingles can be dull, burning, and boring. It is enhanced even with slight mechanical and thermal effects. Such a period can last from 1 to 2 months, and for older people - more than one year.
Transmission of the virus
Herpes zoster - is it contagious? This question arises most often if the pathology was found in one of the relatives. You can become infected with lichen by a transplacental, airborne or contact method. The carrier of the virus is already infected with herpes zoster or chicken pox. The pathogen is present in the body of everyone who has been in contact withinfected people and had chickenpox. He comes out of a dormant state with immunodeficiency.
Vesicle care
What is herpes zoster, patients know firsthand. To alleviate the condition, ice can be applied to the rash. To eliminate unbearable itching, lotions with calamine or menthol should be made. When taking a bath during illness, the rash should not be rubbed. It is advisable to refuse to add aromatic oils and s alt to the water.
Bubbles with shingles should not be lubricated with irritating creams and ointments, so as not to aggravate the situation. It is also not worth treating them with iodine and brilliant green.
To dry the vesicles and eliminate severe itching, you need to prepare a remedy from liquid glycerin and sulfuric ointment. These components are mixed in equal proportions until a homogeneous mass is obtained. The resulting mixture is advised to treat the bubbles a day after taking a shower. Glycerin will soften the skin and accelerate its healing, while sulfur will relieve itching and inflammation.
Herpes zoster: symptoms and treatment
Such a viral infection at a young age can go away on its own in about a month with a stable immune system. However, if its functioning worsens, it is necessary to undergo treatment, especially if the disease has developed against the background of other serious pathologies of the internal organs.
Extremely unpleasant disease is herpes zoster on the body. Its treatment is aimed at the implementation of the following goals:
- increaseimmunity;
- prevention of complications and relapses;
- rash removal;
- decrease intoxication.
In the first 72 hours after contact with a carrier of infection, a person is injected with gamma globulin. To combat this type of herpes, they still take antiviral agents - Vectavir, Famvir, Zovirax, V altrex. It is recommended to resort to them when the first symptoms of pathology are detected. Timely treatment will speed up recovery and reduce the intensity of pain.
Antiviral drugs are combined with vaccination to stop the infectious process. Vaccination helps to avoid the development of herpes zoster and alleviate the course of an existing disease.
With such a pathology, interferon inducers are often prescribed ("Neovir", "Amiksin"). They have an antiviral effect and contribute to the production of endogenous interferon.
To speed up the healing process of the rash, use antiviral ointments and creams. The most effective are Acyclovir, as well as Vectavir. A patient with shingles can be prescribed NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory drugs) and vitamin complexes.
The prognosis for herpes zoster is favorable, except for encephalitic forms of the disease. When the first symptoms of lichen are detected, you should immediately see an infectious disease specialist. It is forbidden to self-medicate, as pathology can lead to bad consequences. The use of traditional medicine preparations is justified only with a mild form of herpes zoster.herpes.
Possible Complications
If you start this pathology, then it will not be possible to avoid negative consequences. If you do not see a doctor in time, there is a high probability of complications such as:
- pain that does not go away for a long time at the site of the rash;
- pus discharge due to constant scratching of blisters;
- decrease in motor activity of arms and legs;
- vision impairment and inflammation of the eyeballs: such problems are of concern if only herpes has appeared on the face; later they can lead to total blindness;
- loss of sensation in the area where the rash is located;
- development of pneumonia;
- damage to the facial nerve.
During childbearing, herpes zoster is very dangerous. This disease can lead to infection of the fetus, stillbirth and miscarriage. Herpes zoster (symptoms and treatment of the pathology are presented to your attention in the article) requires immediate contact with an infectious disease specialist in order to avoid disastrous consequences.
