You know about the flu and pneumonia, but what do you know about shingles? Shingles, also called zoster or the herpes zoster virus, is a painful rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Having had the chicken pox virus puts a person at risk for contracting shingles, and the risk for shingles increases with age, with as many as one half of all adults contracting shingles by age 80.
Symptoms of shingles include developing a rash of liquid filled blisters on the skin. Additional symptoms may include fever, headache, nausea and chills. Although the blisters almost always occur on just one side of the body, they can be scattered in patches or form a continuous band on your skin. The rash ranges from irritating or itchy to extremely painful and typically lasts up to 30 days. For most people, the pain associated with the rash lessens as it heals.
Having shingles cannot cause another person to contract shingles; however, a person with active shingles can transmit the virus to someone who has never had chickenpox—causing that person to come down with the chickenpox. The virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters, not through sneezing or coughing, and a person is not contagious before the blisters appear or after the blisters have developed crusts.
The CDC recommends the shingles vaccine for anyone age 60 and over, regardless of whether or not they previously had chickenpox.
To learn more about our home care services and how we can help facilitate proper vaccinations for your loved one, contact Independence-4-Seniors in the Chicago area today at (630) 323-4665.