Do you remember having chickenpox? An estimated 99 percent of Americans born before 1980 have had chickenpox at some point in their lifetime, even if they can’t remember ever being sick. Unfortunately, that puts them at risk of developing shingles. At least 1 million people in the United States get shingles per year.
One in 3 adults will develop shingles in their lifetime. What is shingles? Shingles is a rash caused by reactivation of dormant varicella-zoster virus, which resides in nerve roots for a person’s entire life if they ever had chickenpox. It consists of red, fluid-filled blisters which span over one side of the face or body.
This rash can last up to 10 days before the blisters scab over. Shingles is uncomfortable, often itchy, and sometimes intensely painful. In some people, it can evolve into postherpetic neuralgia or PHN.
PHN is long-term nerve pain, is also tremendously painful and is one of the most significant complications of singles...
10 percent to 18 percent of people with shingles experience PHN; your chances of developing PHN only increase with age. What are other symptoms of shingles? Apart from the painful rash, other common symptoms of shingles include fever, fatigue, headache, chills, upset stomach, and other flu-like symptoms. You may experience early symptoms of pain, itchiness and tingling even before the rash breaks out.
PHN can occur where the rash was located and can last for months, or even years after the rash has disappeared. Other serio.