Herpes zoster, also called shingles , is a disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Once a person has had chickenpox at some point in their life, the virus can reactivate again and cause a number of symptoms and injuries.
This happens because the varicella-zoster virus remains latent in the body. It is estimated that 1 in 3 people who have suffered chickenpox develop it. In general, this reactivation occurs after the age of 50, but it can be early.
Shingles symptoms can resolve in 3 to 5 weeks without intervention. However, sometimes the pain remains for much longer and can be difficult to treat.
What are the symptoms of shingles?
Herpes zoster is characterized by manifesting itself in a specific area of the body. Hence it is called shingles, since the lesions draw a similar shape to this animal. Most of the time it is located in the thorax or in the waist.
Although symptoms are mild in some people, others experience severe pain that is difficult to relieve. At first, when herpes begins to manifest, you feel a kind of tingling or itching in the area.
A few days later, in that same place, the eruption appears. Blisters form that contain fluid, are tender to the touch, and are also itchy. These blisters, when bursting, transmit their content with viruses.
It is important to note that shingles are not contagious. That is, these injuries cannot be transmitted to another person. What is contagious is the chickenpox virus, so the other person, in any case, can catch this pathology if they have not had it before.
After about ten days, the blisters dry up and crust over. Although the disease seems cured, there is a high risk that the pain in that area will persist.
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