While anyone who has had chicken pox may be at risk for developing shingles, some people are more susceptible than others. Shingles is more likely to affect you if you had chicken pox before your first birthday, if you are older than 65 years of age or if your immunity is compromised. A person who has not had chicken pox but comes into direct contact with the shingles rash may develop chicken pox.
Shingles usually begins with red patches of skin that may progress to fluid-filled blisters, which burst and crust over in order to heal. The rash may be preceded by pain, burning or a tingling sensation and generally leaves the sufferer in a lot of discomfort. It may also be accompanied by other symptoms like a fever, headache, swollen lymph glands and joint pain.
In most cases, the rash only appears on one side of the body, and generally begins on the spine and goes around one side of the torso. Sometimes, it may appear in two different areas, but this is unusual. In people who have severely compromised immunity, shingles may affect the face and can lead to vision loss if it affects an eye and is not treated.
It usually takes two to three weeks for the person to recover, but even afterwards they may feel tired and drained of energy for a while. Medication helps to shorten the duration of the illness and can help to alleviate pain, discomfort and swelling. Medication is usually most effective if treatment commences within 72-hours of the first symptoms. It is also most likely to happen once in a person’s lifetime, but some people may suffer from recurrences of the virus.
While complications are rare, a condition called postherpetic neuralgia can affect people older than 60, and they are thus advised to have the vaccination for protection. The vaccine as well as medical treatment is available at low cost clinics in Las Vegas to ensure that everyone has accessibility to quality medical care and the ability to recover quickly.