Complications are more likely to occur in people who have compromised immunity, and some are more severe than others. Typically, people who have chronic disease or who have had treatment for cancer are at greater risk of developing problems from a shingles outbreak. A bacterial infection of the rash is one of the most common minor complications that can arise, but it can be treated with antibiotics. Some people may also experience a loss of pigment or white patches on the side of the rash.
Rare shingles complications include encephalitis (which is inflammation of the brain) and inflammation of the spinal cord, which can cause pain in the back and neck.
Peripheral Motor Neuropathy
This condition only affects one or two of every 20 people who develop shingles, and is more common in elderly people. It is caused by damage to the nerves that are responsible for facilitating movement. Most often, peripheral motor neuropathy affects one limb (an arm or a leg) and causes paralysis. With treatment, a full recovery is possible.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome
This condition occurs when the shingles infection affects specific nerves in the head. It is believed to affect five out of every 100 000 people in the United States. Symptoms include ear ache and hearing loss, vertigo and dizziness, tinnitus, the loss of your ability to taste, a rash that develops around the ear, and paralysis in the face, a condition known as Bell’s Palsy.
Ramsay Hunt Syndrome requires an integrated treatment approach combining antivirals and corticosteroids. 75 per cent of people who get treatment for the condition in the first 72 hours will make a full recovery. If you develop complete paralysis or are over the age of 50, you are at higher risk of permanent facial paralysis. Around one in every 20 people who develop the condition will experience permanent hearing loss from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.
Familiarising yourself with the symptoms and risk factors for shingles complications is much easier if you work with doctors at low cost clinics in Las Vegas.