Can Someone Who Had Shingles Get Them Again From an Infected Person

Overview

Shingles rash on torso and back. — Shingles is a rash that develops into blisters lasting days or weeks.

What is shingles?

Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that causes an outbreak of a painful rash or blisters on the pare. Information technology's acquired past the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. The rash most often appears as a band of rashes or blisters in i area of your body.

Where does shingles come up from?

When you have chickenpox every bit a kid, your body fights off the varicella-zoster virus and the physical signs of chickenpox fade away, merely the virus always remains in your body. In adulthood, sometimes the virus becomes active over again. This time, the varicella-zoster virus makes its 2d appearance in the form of shingles.

How common is shingles?

About ane meg cases of shingles are diagnosed every twelvemonth in the U.S. The take a chance of shingles increases as yous become older, with about half the cases occurring in people over the age of 50. Shingles develops in about 10% of people who accept had chickenpox at an earlier time in their lives.

Who is at risk for getting shingles?

People who accept had chickenpox who are more likely to develop shingles include those:

With a weakened immune organisation (such as people with cancer, HIV, organ transplant recipients or those receiving chemotherapy).
Over the historic period of 50.
Who have been ill.
Who have experienced trauma.
Who are under stress.

The chickenpox virus doesn't leave your body subsequently you have chickenpox. Instead, the virus stays in a portion of your spinal nervus root called the dorsal root ganglion. For the bulk of people, the virus stays there quietly and doesn't crusade problems. Researchers aren't always sure why the virus gets reactivated, but this typically occurs at times of stress.

Can you become shingles more than than once?

Yeah, yous can get shingles more one time. One of the biggest myths well-nigh shingles is that it can but happen once. This isn't true. You lot can take more than one episode. If you get shingles again, you usually don't get the rash in the aforementioned place.

Symptoms and Causes

What causes shingles?

Shingles is caused past the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.

What are the symptoms of shingles?

Early on symptoms of shingles may include:

Fever.
Chills.
Headache.
Feeling tired.
Sensitivity to light.
Stomach upset.

Other signs and symptoms that appear a few days later the early symptoms include:

An itching, tingling or burning feeling in an area of your peel.
Redness on your skin in the affected area.
Raised rash in a minor area of your pare.
Fluid-filled blisters that break open then scab over.
Mild to astringent hurting in the area of pare affected.

How long does a shingles outbreak last?

It can take three to five weeks from the fourth dimension you begin to feel symptoms until the rash totally disappears.

First, a few days before the rash appears, you may experience pain in an area on your pare. The pain is described as itching, burning, stabbing or shooting. This usually happens before the rash comes.
Adjacent, the raised rash appears as a band or a patch, usually on one side of your body. The rash normally appears around your waistline or on ane side of your face, cervix, or on the trunk (chest/abdomen/back), but non ever. It can occur in other areas including your arms and legs.
Within three to four days, the rash develops into ruddy, fluid-filled, painful, open blisters.
Usually, these blisters brainstorm to dry out out and crust over within about ten days.
The scabs clear up about two to iii weeks later.

Practice yous always get the typical rash if yous take shingles?

Occasionally, some people don't get a rash. If you have whatsoever of the other symptoms of shingles (fifty-fifty without a rash), see your healthcare provider sooner rather than later. At that place are effective treatments yous tin take early for shingles. Even if you don't accept shingles, seeing your healthcare provider volition help you lot get your status diagnosed and treated.

Why does shingles appear mostly on one side or in one surface area of your body?

The virus travels in specific nerves, so you will often meet shingles occur in a ring on one side of your trunk. This band corresponds to the expanse where the nervus transmits signals. The shingles rash stays somewhat localized to an area. It doesn't spread over your whole body. Your torso is a common area, every bit is your confront.

Is shingles contagious?

Someone with shingles can't spread shingles to another person, just they can spread chickenpox. The varicella-zoster virus is spread through straight skin-to-skin contact with the fluid that oozes from the blisters. Shingles is rarely spread by breathing in the varicella-zoster virus the manner airborne viruses are spread. If your rash is in the blister phase, stay away from those who oasis't had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine and keep your rash covered.

How long are you contagious if you lot take shingles?

If you take shingles, you're contagious until the rash is stale and crusted over. The varicella-zoster virus can only cause chickenpox in someone who has never had chickenpox or hasn't been vaccinated confronting chickenpox.

Diagnosis and Tests

How is shingles diagnosed?

Shingles can exist diagnosed by the way the rash is distributed on your trunk. The blisters of a shingles rash commonly appear in a band on one side of your torso. Shingles likewise may be diagnosed in a laboratory using scrapings or a swab of the fluid from the blisters.

Direction and Treatment

How is shingles treated?

There is no cure for shingles but at that place are treatments for managing the symptoms.

Antiviral medications

These drugs may ease the discomfort and brand the symptoms stop sooner, particularly if you lot start them inside 72 hours of the first sign of shingles. They may too help prevent the pain that can happen months and years subsequently, called postherpetic neuralgia. These medications include:

Acyclovir (Zovirax®).
Famciclovir (Famvir®).
Valacyclovir (Valtrex®).

Over-the-counter pain medications

These medications include the following and may be effective in relieving pain:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol®).
Ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®).

Other medications

Antibacterial drugs may be prescribed if you lot develop a bacterial infection due to the shingles rash. Anti-inflammatory drugs like prednisone may be prescribed if shingles affects your eyes or other parts of your confront.

If you accept more than ane area of blisters, what can yous expect if yous go to the hospital?

It's important to note that most people with shingles don't need to be in a infirmary, only if you exercise:

You lot'll be in a contact isolation room.
The door will be kept airtight.
A sign on your door will remind people who take never had chickenpox or the vaccine not to enter.
The sign will also remind staff to wear gowns and gloves when inbound the room.

If yous have shingles in but one area of your trunk that tin't be kept covered, what tin you wait for your hospital stay?

Yous volition exist in a contact isolation room.
The sign on the door volition remind staff to wear gowns and gloves when entering the room.

What are the complications of shingles?

After the shingles rash has disappeared, yous might continue to accept nervus hurting in that same expanse. Postherpetic neuralgia can final for months or years and get quite severe.

More than 10% of people who become shingles develop postherpetic neuralgia. Researchers don't know why some people go postherpetic neuralgia and others don't. It may exist that nerves become more sensitive or that the virus may be invading and damaging the central nervous organization.

Other complications include:

Other types of nerve problems similar numbness or itching.
A bacterial infection of the shingles rash.
Heart and ear inflammation if the rash is virtually these organs.

How is postherpetic neuralgia treated?

Treatments include lotions or creams (such as lidocaine or capsaicin) and/or other medications not specifically used for pain, such as antidepressants or drugs for epilepsy. Regular pain relievers are not unremarkably constructive for this type of pain.

If your pain doesn't lessen, you might effort therapies like nerve blocks or steroid injections about the area where the fretfulness get out the spine. Your provider might advise an implantable nerve stimulator device for severe, ongoing hurting that hasn't responded to other treatments.

Prevention

Is a vaccine available to preclude shingles?

Two vaccines are available in the United states to reduce your take chances of developing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia. One vaccine, Zostavax®, has been bachelor since 2006. The second vaccine, Shingrix®, has been available since 2017. Shingrix is recommended equally the preferred vaccine by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a group of medical and public health experts.

Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine) is given as a two-dose shot in your upper arm. You should receive the second dose (shot) ii to six months after receiving the offset. Shingrix has been shown to be more than 90% constructive in preventing shingles and postherpetic neuralgia. Its effectiveness remains above 85% for at to the lowest degree four years afterward receiving the vaccine.

Who should be vaccinated with Shingrix?

The Shingrix vaccine is recommended for those 50 years of age and older who are in good health.

Y'all should get the Shingrix vaccine even if:

You've had shingles already.
You've been previously vaccinated with Zostavax (a live zoster vaccine). If you've been vaccinated with Zostavax, wait at least 8 weeks before getting vaccinated with Shingrix.
Y'all don't know for sure if yous've e'er had chickenpox.

Ask your healthcare provider, who knows your unabridged health history if getting this vaccine is right for you lot.

Who should non be vaccinated with Shingrix?

You shouldn't receive the Shingrix vaccine if you lot:

Have always had a severe allergy to this vaccine or any ingredient in this vaccine.
Are breastfeeding (chestfeeding) or pregnant.
Currently accept shingles.
Are ill and have a high fever.
Have tested negative for immunity to varicella-zoster virus (go the chickenpox vaccine instead).

Inquire your healthcare provider if the benefits of getting the vaccine outweigh any potential risks.

What serious side furnishings should y'all watch for later getting the Shingrix vaccine?

Serious side effects from vaccines are extremely rare. However, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away if you experience any of the following inside minutes to hours after receiving Shingrix:

Swelling of your face up or throat.
Difficulty breathing.
Hives.
Fast heartbeat.
Dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness.

If yous've had shingles recently, how long should you expect before getting the Shingrix vaccine?

You can get the Shingrix vaccine any time later the shingles rash has gone away.

Is the Zostavax vaccine still existence used?

Yes. The CDC, however, recommends Zostavax for adults historic period lx and older, but not routinely for people aged 50 to 59. Zostavax is given equally a single-dose shot versus the two-dose shot for Shingrix. Zostavax is less effective than Shingrix in preventing shingles (51% vs more than xc%) and postherpetic neuralgia (67% vs more 90%).

You can consider Zostavax if you are allergic to Shingrix or if Shingrix is unavailable because of supply shortage and y'all want some immediate protection from a possible case of shingles and/or postherpetic neuralgia. Because it'southward a weakened alive vaccine, information technology may be dangerous if you accept cancer, HIV, or take steroids, chemotherapy or other medications that suppress your immune system. Ask your healthcare provider if the Zostavax vaccine is an selection for you.

Do y'all need to stay away from children, people who are pregnant, take cancer or anyone with a weak immune system after you become the Zostavax vaccine?

Co-ordinate to the CDC, it's safe to exist around babies and young children, pregnant women or anyone with a weakened immune system after you get the Zostavax vaccine. Even though the Zostavax vaccine contains a weakened live varicella-zoster virus, the CDC says there's no documented case of a person getting chickenpox from someone who has received the Zostavax vaccine. And retrieve: You tin't get shingles unless you've already had chickenpox.

If you have previously received the Zostavax vaccine, how long should yous expect before getting the Shingrix vaccine?

If you've previously received the Zostavax vaccine, the CDC recommends waiting at to the lowest degree eight weeks before getting the Shingrix vaccine.

If you lot get the shingles vaccine, does this hateful y'all're 100% protected from getting shingles?

No. Just like most vaccines, getting vaccinated with a shingles vaccine doesn't provide 100% protection from affliction. Still, getting the shingles vaccine reduces your take chances of developing shingles.

Even if you do develop shingles, y'all'll be more likely to have a mild case. Likewise, you lot'll be much less likely to develop postherpetic neuralgia, a painful condition that tin can follow a shingles outbreak.

If you lot have a medical condition that suppresses your allowed system, should you get the shingles vaccine?

Having a weakened immune system can increase the likelihood of getting shingles, then that'south even more of a reason to go the shingles vaccine. However, you must become the Shingrix vaccine, which is not made from a alive virus. (The older — and yet available — vaccine, Zostavax, is made from a weakened live virus and shouldn't be given to people with weakened immune systems.)

Outlook / Prognosis

What should you expect if you get shingles?

Shingles can be a very painful condition. If yous think y'all accept the symptoms of shingles, see your healthcare provider right away. Starting antiviral medications early can ease your discomfort and end symptoms earlier.

A better arroyo to shingles is to accept activity and do what you tin can to lessen your risk of getting it. If you've never had shingles in the by, talk to your healthcare provider about getting the shingles vaccine. If you've never had chickenpox, talk with your healthcare provider near getting the chickenpox vaccine.

Is shingles dangerous or even fatal?

If shingles involves your middle, it tin can pb to blindness. In rare cases, shingles can lead to hearing problems, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and even death.

When is it prophylactic to return to piece of work if you take shingles?

You lot can return to piece of work when you feel well plenty to return and yous're no longer contagious. This means that your blistered rash has stale up and scabbed over. This usually takes upward to x days from the time the rash first appears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't having chickenpox earlier in life provide immunity against having shingles later?

Afterwards having chickenpox, your torso doesn't rid your system of the virus. Instead, the virus stays in a portion of the spinal nerve root chosen the dorsal root ganglion. In almost people, the virus simply stays there quietly and doesn't cause problems. Scientists aren't always certain why the virus gets active again, but they know stress can be a cause.

Can you lot still develop shingles if y'all've been vaccinated for chickenpox?

Yes. Despite being vaccinated for chickenpox, y'all can withal get shingles. No vaccine is 100% protective, and the effectiveness of vaccines lessens with time. However, people who go the chickenpox vaccine are significantly less likely to develop shingles after in life compared with people who never received the chickenpox vaccine. One contempo 12-year study plant that the number of shingles cases was 72% lower in children who had received the chickenpox vaccine compared with those who didn't.

Tin can you become shingles if you lot oasis't had chickenpox?

No. You can't go shingles if you've never had chickenpox, but you lot can get chickenpox from someone who has shingles. If you've never had chickenpox and you come into direct contact with the oozing, cicatrice-like rash of someone with shingles, the varicella-zoster virus tin infect y'all and y'all would develop chickenpox.

Once yous've had chickenpox, you lot could develop shingles at some point in your life. This is because the varicella-zoster virus never fully goes away after you lot've had chickenpox. It lies quietly "inactive" in your nerve tissue. Later in life, the virus may become active over again and appears as shingles.

Can you lot get chickenpox more than in one case?

It'southward rare to get chickenpox twice in your life. In one case you've had chickenpox, you're usually immune to it for the residual of your life. Still, it's not totally impossible. If you take a severely weakened immune organization (considering you've had an organ transplant, HIV or cancer, for example), you tin get chickenpox a second fourth dimension. If you've had chickenpox, you are more likely to get shingles at some betoken in your life than a repeat bout of chickenpox.

Are in that location natural ways to heave your allowed organization to help lessen the chances of developing shingles?

Stress is a risk factor for developing shingles, then limiting your stress can be helpful. Try meditation, yoga or other relaxation methods.

Other things you tin exercise include:

Eat a salubrious diet.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Exercise regularly.
Aim for seven to nine hours of slumber each night.
Don't smoke or use tobacco products.

These are all tips for an overall salubrious lifestyle, not just for reducing your chance of getting shingles.

What is the deviation between canker zoster and varicella-zoster?

Herpes zoster is simply another medical name for shingles. Varicella-zoster is the virus that causes both shingles and chickenpox.

Although both diseases produce a rash, measles and shingles are completely dissimilar and unrelated diseases. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus and measles is caused by the rubeola virus.

Tin y'all get shingles from the COVID-19 vaccine?

At that place have been a few reports of shingles happening in people who were vaccinated against COVID-19. The varicella-zoster virus was reactivated in these people.

A annotation from Cleveland Clinic

If you've had chickenpox, yous're at take chances of developing shingles later in life. Shingles causes a rash that is contagious and painful. The disease can take serious complications. The best thing you can do to reduce your chance is to get the shingles vaccine. The vaccines are safe and effective.

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Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11036-shingles