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Shingles is an outbreak of a rash or blisters on the skin that may be associated with severe pain. The pain is generally on one side of the body or face.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After an attack of chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in the nerve tissue and then, as we get older, it is possible for the virus to reappear in the form of shingles.
Incidence; Risk Factors
Shingles is estimated to affect 20% of people during their lifetimes. Close to 50% of those who live beyond the age of 80 can expect to develop shingles.
Although it is most common in people over age 50, anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for developing shingles. Shingles is also more common in people with weakened immune systems from HIV infection, chemotherapy or radiation treatment, transplant operations and stress. Chicken pox vaccination given to children reduces the incidence and severity of both chicken pox and shingles later in life.
Signs & Symptoms
Early signs of shingles include burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching generally located on one side of the body or face. The rash or blisters are present anywhere from one to 14 days.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good unless the infection spreads to the brain. Eventually, most patients recover completely. If shingles appears on the face, it can lead to complications in hearing and vision. For instance, if shingles affects the eye, the cornea can become infected and lead to temporary or permanent blindness. Another complication of the virus is postherpetic neuralgia, a condition in which the pain from shingles persists for months - sometimes years - after the shingles rash has healed. Bacterial infection of the affected area is another possible side-effect.
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Conditions that suggest Shingles (Herpes Zoster):
Risk factors for Shingles (Herpes Zoster):
Recommendations and treatments for Shingles (Herpes Zoster): | | | | | Amino Acid / Protein |  L-Lysine | Lysine can speed the healing of shingles lesions. Painful shingles blisters are caused by a reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, an infection that started out as an attack of chickenpox. Herpes zoster is closely related to herpes simplex, however, and lysine appears to have a similar role to play in treating an eruption of shingles. Most physicians who recommend lysine will combine this therapy with conventional antiviral medications such as acyclovir or valacyclovir. Recommendation: Take 1,000mg L-lysine three times a day with meals during flare-ups. Reduce the dose to 500mg three times a day for one week after healing. |
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Botanical |
 Cayenne Pepper| | Capsaicin used topically may benefit sufferers of postherpetic neuralgia. |
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Mineral |
 Selenium
MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane)
Colloidal Silver |
Oxygen / Oxidative Therapies |
Ozone / Oxidative Therapy| | At the Center of Medical and Surgical Research in Havana, 15 adult patients suffering from herpes zoster were treated with injections of ozone/oxygen for a period of 15 days. All patients were completely symptom-free after the treatment and follow-up examinations a year later showed no relapse. |
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KEY | | Weak or unproven link |  | | Proven definite or direct link |  | | Very strongly or absolutely counter-indicative | | | May do some good | | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended |
GLOSSARY
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. An immune system deficiency disorder that suddenly alters the body's ability to defend itself. The AIDS virus invades the T4 helper/inducer lymphocytes and multiplies, causing a breakdown in the body's immune system, eventually leading to overwhelming infection and/or cancer, with ultimate death.
Antiviral
Any of a number of herbs, drugs or agents capable of destroying viruses or inhibiting their growth or multiplication until the body is capable of destroying the virus itself. Most antiviral agents are members of the antimetabolite family.
Bacteria (Bacterial, Bacterium)
Microscopic germs. Some bacteria are "harmful" and can cause disease, while other "friendly" bacteria protect the body from harmful invading organisms.
Chemotherapy
A treatment of disease by any chemicals. Used most often to refer to the chemical treatments used to combat cancer cells. Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles: a treatment period followed by a recovery period, then another treatment period, and so on. Most anticancer drugs are given by injection into a blood vessel (IV); some are given by mouth. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, meaning that the drugs enter the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. Usually, a patient has chemotherapy as an outpatient (at the hospital, at the doctor's office, or at home). However, depending on which drugs are given and the patient's general health, a short hospital stay may be needed.
Chicken Pox
An acute, highly infectious illness, principally of young children, caused by the chicken pox-herpes zoster virus and marked by fever and successive eruptions of clear blisters over the body. Chicken pox may enter latency in the deep nerve ganglia and reactivate years later in the form of herpes zoster.
Cornea
Transparent structure forming the anterior part of the eye.
Herpes Simplex
An infection, often recurrent, caused by herpes virus type 1 and 2. It causes cold sores around the lips and mouth, and also causes painful blisters on the genitals and in the pubic area, thighs, and buttocks.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
A retrovirus associated with onset of advanced immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Lesion (Lesions)
Any damage to tissue structure or function; an abnormal change in body tissue caused by disease or injury. A scar is a lesion, as is cancer, a stomach ulcer or a pimple.
Lysine
Essential amino acid. Important for growth, tissue repair, and the production of hormones, enzymes and antibodies. Research indicates that lysine may be useful in the treatment of migraine and herpes simplex. Precursor to carnitine in the body.
Milligram (mg, Milligrams)
0.001 or a thousandth of a gram.
Neuralgia (Neuralgic)
Pain of severe throbbing or stabbing nature along a nerve.
Prognosis
A prediction (estimate) of the future course and outcome of a disease and an indication of the likelihood of recovery from that disease.
Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
A severe infection caused by the Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV), affecting mainly adults. It causes painful skin blisters that follow the underlying route of brain or spinal nerves infected by the virus. Also know as herpes zoster.
Virus (Viri, Viruses)
Any of a vast group of minute structures composed of a protein coat and a core of DNA and/or RNA that reproduces in the cells of the infected host. Capable of infecting all animals and plants, causing devastating disease in immunocompromised individuals. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics, and are completely dependent upon the cells of the infected host for the ability to reproduce.
Last updated: Apr 27, 2008
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