Shingles refers to a painful viral skin rash that can appear as a striped band anywhere on your body. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this condition is not life threatening and will clear in two to three weeks.
Symptoms
Symptoms of the shingles begin with a painful, burning and itchy sensation on any part of your skin. According to the Mayo Clinic, a red rash then forms and wraps around your body in a striped pattern. The most common region affected is your chest or stomach.
Cause
According to the NIH, the cause of shingles is the varicella-zoster virus (the same virus found in chicken pox). After you get the chicken pox, the virus lies dormant in your nerves and can wreak havoc on your body years later.
Complications
The Mayo Clinic states that dangerous complications can result from the shingles. Postherpetic neuralgia refers to the condition where the nerves are irreversibly damaged and pain continues as a result. Shingles can also lead to brain infections, hearing and balance problems.
Population
Shingles tends to target older people who suffered from the chicken pox before the age of 1. Also the NIH states that people who are immunocompromised (have no defense against infection) are susceptible to shingles.
Treatment
According to the Mayo Clinic, treatment for the shingles includes antiviral medications to fight the varicella-zoster virus and pain medications.
