How long does the shingles virus stay alive

Certain antidepressant medications have been shown to reduce the pain of shingles over time. Anticonvulsant medications may be another option. They have proved useful in reducing shingles nerve pain, although their main use is in epilepsy. The most commonly prescribed anticonvulsants are gabapentin Neurontin and pregabalin Lyrica. This can lead to infection, which can worsen your overall condition and lead to new symptoms.

The most common complication of shingles is postherpetic neuropathy PHN. When this happens, feelings of pain remain long after the blisters have cleared up. PHN can be difficult to treat, and the pain can last for months or years. About 13 percent of people over 60 who experience shingles go on to develop PHN.

Having more than one of these factors increases your risk. In addition to pain, PHN can make your body sensitive to touch and to changes in temperature and wind. You should see your doctor as soon as you suspect shingles, or when you see a rash. The earlier shingles is treated, the less severe symptoms may become. Early treatment can also reduce your risk for PHN. If pain persists after the rash has cleared, see your doctor as soon as possible. They can work with you to develop a pain management plan.

If your pain is severe, they may refer you to a pain specialist for additional consultation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the shingles vaccine in most all adults over age Shingles can recur.

But you can give others chickenpox. Most people who develop shingles have only one episode during their lifetime. However, you can have shingles more than once.

If you have shingles, direct contact with the fluid from your rash blisters can spread VZV to people who have never had chickenpox or never received the chickenpox vaccine.

If they get infected, they will develop chickenpox, not shingles. They could then develop shingles later in life.

The risk of spreading VZV to others is low if you cover the shingles rash. People with shingles cannot spread the virus before their rash blisters appear or after the rash crusts. Also see Treating Shingles. They might just have some itching. For others, shingles can cause intense pain that can be felt from the gentlest touch or breeze. If you notice blisters on your face, see your doctor right away because this is an urgent problem.

Blisters near or in the eye can cause lasting eye damage and blindness. Hearing loss , a brief paralysis of the face, or, very rarely, inflammation of the brain encephalitis can also occur. If you think you might have shingles, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. The doctor will confirm whether you have shingles and can make a treatment plan. Most cases can be diagnosed from a visual examination.

If you have a condition that weakens the immune system, your doctor may order a shingles test. Although there is no cure for shingles, early treatment with antiviral medications can help the blisters clear up faster and limit severe pain.

Shingles can often be treated at home. After the shingles rash goes away, some people may be left with ongoing pain called postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN. She developed a severe side effect, postherpetic neuralgia , which causes pain in the area of the infected nerves that can last for months or years.

Shingles typically affects older people, but it can strike at any age. Patients with weakened immune systems from leukemia , cancer, or HIV are especially susceptible.

Antiviral medications can shorten the duration of the rash, but there is no treatment for eliminating the virus. Home remedies such as wet compresses, calamine lotion, and oatmeal baths may help ease the pain associated with the rash.