Ads about the shingles vaccine, including other information, are so omnipresent because they are a potentially serious disease that can be prevented. Experts have been campaigning the importance of seeking early treatment for shingles symptoms to prevent any long-term complication, such as loss of sight.
Cleveland Clinic said that those who had experienced chickenpox have the varicella-zoster virus, which causes shingles or herpes zoster. Unfortunately, there is no cure for shingles yet, as treatments available will only help manage the symptoms. Although, there are vaccines to prevent shingles and the long-lasting nerve pain that may develop.
Herpes Zoster
Signs and Symptoms of Shingles
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common symptom of shingles is a rash that develops on one side of the face or body. It consists of blisters that scab over in seven to 10 days, may cause an intense burning sensation, but may fully disappear within two to four weeks.
Before the rash appears, the person may experience pain, itching, or tingling sensation in the area where it will develop in several days. It can occur in a single stripe around the left or right side of the body but may also be on one side of the face that could affect the eye and cause vision loss.
Unlike chickenpox, shingles rarely spread throughout the body. It only happens when the person has a weakened immune system. Although rashes could disappear within a month, some people can still experience pain or burning sensations that will last for months or even years.
Other symptoms of shingles aside from rashes include fever, headache, chill, and an upset stomach. Anyone who is experiencing these symptoms should immediately seek medical help. They sometimes prescribe antiviral medication to shorten the length of the outbreak and prevent long-term pain.
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How to Prevent Shingles
Shingles vaccine will help prevent herpes zoster. According to Mayo Clinic, people eligible for a vaccine should get the Shingrix vaccine in the US. It was approved by the US Food ad Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017, based on clinical studies that showed its effectiveness in protecting shingles for more than five years. It is given in two doses with two to six months intervals.
Shingrix vaccine is recommended for people aged 50 years old and above and those who previously received the Zostavax vaccine or those who had shingles in the past.
As most vaccines may trigger symptoms, Mayo Clinic said people could have redness, pain, tenderness, swelling, and itching at the injection site. Also, they may experience headaches after.
Experts caution that the vaccine does not 100% guarantee that people would not get shingles, but it would likely reduce the course and severity of the infection, as well as decrease the risk of developing long-term postherpetic neuralgia. More so, they emphasized that the vaccine is not a treatment and is only intended as a preventive strategy.
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