What is shingles? the sickness

Are SHINGLES sickness contagious?

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Here is the National Institute on Health/Center for Disease Control correct answer to your question: “Can shingles be spread to others? Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus that causes shingles, VZV…

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Are SHINGLES sickness contagious?

Q: Myco-worker had them, it started as a bad rash… Can I catch it? I got chicken pox as a kid. She told me cause she didnt, thats why she got it now, as an adult?!?!?

A: Here is the National Institute on Health/Center for Disease Control correct answer to your question:”Can shingles be spread to others?Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus that causes shingles, VZV, can be spread from a person with active shingles to a person who has never had chickenpox through direct contact with the rash. The person exposed would develop chickenpox, not shingles. The virus is not spread through sneezing, coughing or casual contact. A person with shingles can spread the disease when the rash is in the blister-phase. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious. A person is not infectious before blisters appear or with post-herpetic neuralgia (pain after the rash is gone).What can be done to prevent the spread of shingles?The risk of spreading shingles is low if the rash is covered. People with shingles should keep the rash covered, not touch or scratch the rash, and wash their hands often to prevent the spread of VZV. Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer contagious.”http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/dis-faqs.htmThe above quote from the CDC is word for word definitive and valid, rather than opinion.1. You cannot catch shingles whither you have had chickenpox or not.2. Shingles can only take place after varicela zoster virus(VZV) has entered nerves from a previous infection, not as an initial infection.3. Unlike chickenpox which is highly contagious, shingles simply needs to be covered to prevent spread.4. You already have the virus in your body from having had chickenpox as a child.5. If VZV was spread from a person with shingles to someone who had not had chickenpox, that person would not have shingles but chickenpox.

Shingles………?

Q: Has anyone had shingles, if so can you tell me how you felt, how long they lasted etc. I only ask because I have heard that they can be really nasty and remember my friends dad having them and it took him about a year to get over them. I had shingles when i was 8 months pregnant and only had the rash and the itching. I had a pretty bad pregnancy with sickness and feeling generally lousy, would this be why i seemed to get off lightly?

A: I had a horrible time with Shingles. I had it on the left side of my body, down two nerve lines. It started as white blisters, then turned to red blisters – and literally felt like I had a red hot iron on my skin for two weeks. I took strong codeine and anti-inflammatories that the GP gave me – but it was still really painful. After 2 weeks, the blisters crusted (yuck!), and the pain stopped. I still have scars now (5 years later).I was quite run down at the time (which is why I got it), and I felt unwell for about a month in total. It can make you feel quite low in terms of mood.I don’t think your pregnancy would have made much difference to how you suffered with it. My friend had it too, and he only had itching – no pain. I guess it’s just luck of the draw. Some really unlucky people get the pain for a long time after the blisters have completely gone (called Post Herpetic Neuralgia) – the pain can last for years.

Has anyone ever had the Shingles. It is a disease seniors can catch if they have had chicken pox when they?

Q: were children. How long does it last? I have heard that it lasts about three weeks before the patient begins to feel better. And after this attack there is a vaccine available to keep the sickness from returning. Anyone know? I have a personal interest in this

A: You are right..except you get the vaccine before you get the shingles..You are lucky if it only lasts 3 weeks, It has been known to last months, with residual nerve pain lasting even longer..get the vaccine now before you get the shingles..or is it too late?