Shingles: symptoms, treatment, causes of the disease
General information about the disease. Shingles is an acuteInfectious disease and affects the peripheral nerves on the skin. This can lead to inflammation of the roots of the brain, intoxication and the appearance of a characteristic bubble rash. This infection usually affects adults, as well as children aged 10 years. If you are faced with a problem such as shingles, symptoms, treatment and possible complications of this disease are described in this article.
Causes of the disease. Shingles cause a virus calledHerpes Zoster. Its transmission occurs directly on contact with the patient, that is, when touched or by airborne droplets. Herpes also develops in people who previously had chicken pox. The immune system is designed in such a way that the risk of getting shingles increases with age.
Symptoms of herpes zoster. There are several groups of symptomsshingles. Among them, sensitivity disorders, pain, intoxication and skin rash. Signs of intoxication: weakness, poor appetite, high fever, weight loss. It also has shingles, the treatment and elimination of which requires special attention. The thing is that pain is localized from moderate to severe, along the nerves. The disease can also be accompanied by severe headaches.
Skin rash also has a property to localizealong the course of nerves. It is a small red spots of different shapes or small bubbles with dark red rims, which are filled with a transparent liquid. The rash passes several weeks later and leaves a dry crust behind it.
If the doctor found a person runningShingles, symptoms, treatment and the appearance of it almost do not differ from usual. The only difference is the longer treatment process. This form of the disease can leave deep scars after the rash.
Treatment. Remember that if you are struck by shingles,symptoms, treatment and the forms of its manifestation are interrelated. This is very important to consider when treating. Bubbles are lubricated with special ointments. In addition, doctors advise patients to take drugs that inhibit the propagation of pathogens, and all of the B vitamins. Often, a recurrent lichen is treated with special antiviral drugs.
In herpes zoster it is necessary to adhere to bed rest. In no case do not scratch the affected area and take all medications prescribed by the doctor - they will sooth pain and itching.
On how to treat shingles, thanto treat it and what medicines to take, should tell the doctor in detail. If he diagnoses a neglected form of the disease, the treatment will include taking anticonvulsants.
Folk treatment of the disease. Another method to cure shingles -treatment with folk remedies. However, such measures are effective only as an additional treatment. Otherwise, the patient can get serious complications (distortion of facial features, paralysis, etc.).
To relieve itching and pain, patients can bathe in salty or sulphurous water, lubricate the damaged skin with almond oil, make compresses from bread and salt, apply the means from burdock leaves.
Consequences of herpes zoster. As a rule, people who treat this diseasecorrectly, quickly recover. Remember: the older a person, the more dangerous it is for her shingles. Among the complications are meningitis, paralysis, encephalitis, corneal ulcers (in case of eye injury), ear damage and others. The lethal outcome is quite rare. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to protect yourself from the shingles.