Shingles (according to ICD-10 code - V02) is an ailment that has not yet been fully studied. The disease affects both adults and children of all ages. But, as practice shows, the peak of the incidence falls on people who already have 50.
This is the pathology that the herpes virus causes. Not only the skin, but also the nervous system is affected. This disease and chickenpox have a similar etiology and pathogenesis. Modern medicine classifies it as a highly contagious infectious disease, and all because it is provoked by the herpes virus. It is very important to quickly recognize the disease, start treatment and not infect anyone around.
Infection methods
Antibodies are present in the human body that prevent herpes from spreading. But shingles is a cunning virus that easily adapts to killing drugs, while it can hide in the nerve endings, spinal nodes and carry out its life in the human body for a long time.
In the external environment, the virus rapidly weakens at high temperature and ultraviolet exposure. It is more difficult for them to get airborne. But at low temperatures, on the contrary, it is gaining strength, and therefore survives well.
Poor food, adverse environmental conditions increase the risk of contracting the virus.
Many people ask the main question: is shingles contagious? Alas, there are several provoking factors that increase the likelihood of a virus entering the body and developing the disease:
- low immunity;
- environmental pollution and water;
- lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet.
The virus spreads through the air with droplets of liquid, each person can easily become infected by touching or shaking hands. Also, do not forget that it can be on household appliances, on hygiene items, on door handles, carts in supermarkets, and in public transport. The most suitable places for infection are warm rooms with high humidity: saunas, pools and sand on the beach.
The causes of the disease
How is shingles transmitted? By airborne droplets, they can become infected by anyone who does not monitor their health and hygiene. The virus appears after chickenpox or primarily through the mucous membrane and skin, after which it passes through the circulatory system and enters the spinal cord and intervertebral nodes, where it remains in a latent state for a long time.
The virus starts to activate for the following reasons:
- frequent stressful situations;
- taking medications that reduce immunity;
- consequences after radiation therapy;
- malignant tumors in the body;
- HIV infection
- transplantation of internal organs.
Based on this, it is possible to accurately answer the question of whether shingles are contagious. Yes, indeed, it is contagious, and it is transmitted from a person who has already suffered an ailment to someone who has not yet had it. The disease is contagious during the formation of vesicles, after crusts have started to form, herpes zoster is no longer transmitted.
Forms and stages of the disease
Doctors distinguish several forms of the disease:
- Eye Initially, the branch of the trigeminal nerve is affected. Rashes appear in the area of the orbit and the eyeball. There is a danger of developing herpetic keratitis, which can lead to complications from the side of vision.
- Ear (or it is also called Ramsey-Hunt syndrome). It manifests itself in the form of rashes that affect the ganglion of the facial nerve. In addition to rashes and pain, peripheral paresis of the facial muscles can develop, food falls out of the mouth during ingestion and enters the nose, because the face is twisted. The patient cannot close his eyelids.
- Necrotic. It affects the deep layers of the skin. With this form, the attachment of a secondary bacterial infection is almost guaranteed, the disease is difficult, and after recovery, scars remain on the skin. This form develops in patients with low immunity, for example in HIV-infected people.
- Bubble (or bullous). Appears at the moment when small formations merge into large ones.
- Hemorrhagic. It is diagnosed at a time when blood is observed in the contents of the vesicles.
- The generalized form of shingles appears at the moment when the rashes spread throughout the body and even affect the mucous membranes. It develops in patients with low activity of the immune system.
- Abortive form. Spots appear along the nerve trunks, while bubbles do not form. The form is mild, there are no symptoms of intoxication and may pass unnoticed by the patient.
In some cases, the disease can go to the central nervous system. Then inflammation of the meninges, encephalitis, meningoencephalitis and myelitis may develop. These forms are fatal.
There are three stages of shingles:
- Prodromal. It manifests itself in the form of pain, burning and itching before the rash appears. The disease can last for two weeks, but on average 3-5 days.
- Sharp. It manifests itself in the form of rashes, after which scabies appear, in addition to this, a neuralgic syndrome joins. The duration of this period is up to a month, but sometimes up to 15 days.
- Chronic It manifests itself in the form of severe pain in the area of rashes, lasts from a month to a year. Sometimes this symptom of shingles in adults can be supplemented by a general deterioration, fever, headaches and depression. It will take longer treatment.
Symptoms of the disease
It is impossible not to notice the manifestations of the disease, shingles, its signs are visible to the naked eye. Initially, symptoms appear as follows:
- fever;
- neuralgic pain syndrome;
- tingling sensation at the site of the rash, which appears later.
Over time, there are abundant rashes and most often on the body. Symptoms of the disease are manifested as follows: after edema spots of a pinkish color appear, groups of papules appear after 3-4 days. They quickly become bubbles with transparent contents, during this period the pain intensifies and the lymph nodes increase.
After a week, the bubbles dry, yellow crusts form, with time they disappear, and pigmentation appears in their place. After the rashes go away, postherpetic neuralgia may remain, which is difficult to treat.
Pathologies causing herpes zoster
Shingles in a person whose symptoms are quite serious, can cause such diseases:
- Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, which is characterized by rashes in the oropharynx, auditory meatus, as well as paralysis of the facial muscles;
- ophthalmic herpes, affects the ocular branches of the trigeminal nerve;
- prolonged course of herpes.
Diagnostic methods
Only thanks to the correct diagnosis can you find the best treatment for the disease. Symptoms are noticeable, and making an accurate diagnosis is easy. But in some cases, in order not to make an erroneous diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct serological research methods, make microscopy, isolate the virus on tissue cultures.
Shingles in children can be detected through laboratory tests.
If a blood test is done, then a patient with an acute stage of the disease has leukocytosis, a moderate increase in ESR, and an increased number of lymphocytes.
Examination of cerebrospinal fluid may be required only with a severe form of the disease. It is more difficult to make a diagnosis at the initial stage, since skin manifestations are confused with inflammation of the pancreas, kidneys, appendicitis and heart attack. It is also difficult to make a diagnosis due to the fact that the symptoms are similar to acute eczema, erysipelas. In this case, it will be necessary to conduct a microscopic examination, use serological methods, try to determine the type of virus by PCR from the blood or contents of the vesicles.
Complications
It is impossible to ignore the symptoms of the disease, and all because the excessive activity of the virus causes severe complications. Possible consequences:
- hepatitis;
- pneumonia;
- meningitis;
- impairment or complete loss of hearing and vision.
Postherpetic neuralgia is the main danger of shingles. A similar condition manifests itself with severe pain in those places that were affected by the disease and persist even after the clinical signs disappear. There are inflammatory processes in the muscles that violate their functionality, including paralysis of muscle tissue.
In HIV-infected people, exacerbation can lead to death of the patient.
Treatment methods
After the tests for herpes zoster are passed and the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor selects treatment for each patient in accordance with his form of the disease. All treatment methods can be divided into three groups:
- Etiotropic. Directed to the cause of the disease.
- Pathogenetic. Affect the mechanisms of development of pathology.
- Symptomatic With their help, the manifestations of the disease are eliminated.
The etiotropic treatment of shingles consists in the use of specific antiherpetic drugs. These include:
Drugs help block the reproduction of the virus, prevent the appearance of new foci of rash, reduce the area of existing rashes. Means accelerate the drying of crusts, prevent the attachment of infection.
Preparations can be presented in different forms: powder for injection, tablets, capsules, syrup, ointment and cream for external use. Usually, the doctor combines the means of internal and external use.
The pathogenetic treatment of shingles involves the use of drugs that fight intoxication. For this, a glucose solution, Ringer, Reosorbilact and others are administered intravenously. In some situations, they require a combination with diuretics - Furosemide or Lasix. The use of vitamins from group B is shown, and all because they selectively act on the nervous system. Antiallergic medicines can be used: "Erius", "Suprastin", "Zodak" and others. They help reduce swelling and enhance the effect of analgesics. The choice of drugs for herpes zoster depends on the form of the disease, and the individual tolerance of the body must be taken into account.
Symptomatic therapy for shingles in humans is provided, which includes:
- antipyretic drugs: "Paracetamol", "Ibuprofen";
- analgesics, NSAID-based combination drugs; narcotic drugs such as Tramadol can be used;
- with severe pain, blockade with the use of anesthetics is provided;
- if pain prevents the patient from resting, then sleeping pills can be recommended.
Of the physiotherapeutic agents, ultraviolet radiation aimed at the rash zone gives good results. UHF, quartz and laser therapy are also recommended for the patient.
In some cases, the use of brilliant green and methylene blue is justified, which helps to dry the bubbles, while additionally having a disinfecting effect. But you need to apply these funds in a targeted manner, generosity in these cases can only do harm.
With shingles (ICD-10 - V02), it is better to keep the affected parts of the body open so that there is a constant flow of air to them. Only in this way there is less risk of stratification of the secondary infection, and the foci dry out faster.
Herpes zoster is the negative consequences of reactivation of the herpes virus type 3, which occurs against a background of reduced immunity. The main manifestations of the disease are specific rashes in the form of vesicles and soreness in their area, and all because of the affected nerve trunks. In most cases, the disease has a favorable prognosis and ends with a quick recovery if complex treatment is started on time. Modern medicine has a lot of tools that effectively fight infection.
Alternative methods of treatment
The combination of traditional drugs with folk remedies gives a faster effective result. Among the many recipes, the following help best:
- Burdock infusion. It is necessary to take dry raw materials (1 tbsp. L.), Pour boiling water over it (500 ml), insist for about an hour, strain and drink in small sips throughout the day. Brew fresh broth every day.
- Tincture of ginger root. Grate a small spine, pour it with vodka in the amount of 0.5 liters and leave to infuse for 14 days. After this, remove the cake, and take tincture 1 tablespoon before meals. This tool will strengthen the immune system, and it will be able to quickly deal with the infection and prevent secondary infection.
- A mixture of bitter herbs. Take equal amounts of tansy, wormwood and yarrow, after the mixture, select 1 tbsp. l and pour boiling water. It is recommended to drink 400-600 ml per day.
- Milk milk juice is used for external use, rubbing it with inflamed skin.
- Potassium permanganate will help speed up the healing process if you periodically wipe the affected areas of the skin with a weak composition.
- Perfectly strengthens the immune system tincture of willow bark. You need to take one tablespoon of crushed raw materials and pour a glass of boiling water, leave to stand for one hour, take 1/4 cup three times a day.
- It helps to cope with shingles in children and adults tincture of flowers of calendula and meadowsweet, it relieves inflammation and itching, thereby relieving symptoms. Take the raw materials in equal proportions, pour boiling water (1 tbsp. L. Into a glass of water) and let it brew. Use to wipe diseased skin areas.
Folk remedies with shingles can only give good results if they are used in combination with traditional treatment. Therefore, before using them, it is better to consult a doctor so as not to cause serious unwanted manifestations.
Preventative measures
How shingles are transmitted is already known. The ailment is not very pleasant, therefore it is better to protect yourself and your loved ones from it. There are plenty of good drugs that can cope with the disease, but it’s better to take measures and protect yourself from the virus. Preventive measures against the disease include the following:
- It is necessary to harden the body, thereby strengthening the immune system. Regularly need to take walks in the fresh air. Only a strong body has the strength to fight viruses and infections.
- Routine vaccination will help create immunity, ready to quickly fight the herpes virus.
- In the spring and autumn periods, when a person is particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases, it is necessary to include more foods enriched with vitamins in the diet, or simply purchase a vitamin complex in a pharmacy and take a course of taking it.
During an exacerbation and for some time after a rash appears on the human body, it remains contagious, so contact with it must be excluded. If this is a family member, then you need to make sure that the patient has a separate towel, bedding, dishes, and try to exclude bodily contact with him, especially children whose immunity is not yet fully developed and is susceptible to attacks of viruses and infections.
Every person who has already had chickenpox needs to know what lichen looks like in order to recognize it in time and seek help from a doctor. The initial stage of the disease is easier to cure than the advanced one, and it will bring less inconvenience to the patient.