After all, can we or cannot get shingles (herpes zoster)? A doctor explains what people misunderstand about this common virus.
The idea that you can “catch” zone is one of the most common misconceptions that Dan Baumgardtfrom the School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, hears from patients who come in worried because they think they have it.
Often, the doctor says in an article in , they have just been near a child with chickenpox or someone with shingles and are, understandably, anxious about having caught it.
The area is reactivation of a virus that is already inside your body: the varicella-zoster virus, the same one that causes chickenpox. After recovering from chickenpox, the virus does not go away; it hides in the nerve cells that supply sensation to the skin, remaining dormant for years, sometimes decades. The zone is what happens when this virus “wakes up”.
When it reactivates, it causes groups of small, fluid-filled bubbles, known as vesicles. Before the rash appears, people may feel tingling, burning or pain in an area of the body – sometimes two or three days beforehand. Your skin may become abnormally sensitive, and you may feel generally tired, feverish or unwell.
The area is affects around one in 25 people. It tends to follow a characteristic pattern. The rash usually appears in the form of a stripe or band on one side of the body, corresponding to a dermatome (area of skin served by a spinal nerve). It is rare for the shingles to appear on both sides of the body.
The blisters eventually burst, form scabs and heal after three to four weeks, sometimes leaving small scars.
In fact, until each bubble has crusted over, The person with shingles is considered contagious, meaning they can transmit the virus to others – but not in the way most people think.
1. You can get chickenpox from someone with shingles
To develop zone, You must have already had chickenpox. For some patients, however, chickenpox may have been so mild or occurred so long ago that they may have difficulty remembering having it.
When the blisters in the area burst, the liquid inside contains the same live varicella-zoster virus.
If someone who has never had chickenpox (or have not been vaccinated against it) come into direct contact with that liquid, You can become infected and develop chickenpox – but not shingles. Shingles only occurs when the dormant virus awakens inside someone who has already had chickenpox.
For this reason, the people with shingles should keep the rash covered (with clothing or a non-adherent dressing) until all blisters have crusted over and healed.
It is important to avoid contact with anyone for whom chickenpox may be particularly dangerous. This includes pregnant women – as the chickenpox virus can sometimes cause complications for the mother and harm the unborn baby. Newborns, whose immune systems are not yet strong enough to fight the infection, are also at risk. Other patients with weakened immune systems (such as the elderly, people undergoing chemotherapy or those living with illnesses such as HIV) may also have difficulty fighting the virus. Chickenpox can become a serious illness in these people, leading to complications such as pneumonia.
2. Shingles can occur at any age
Although shingles becomes more likely as we age, it can occur at any time after having had chickenpox – even in young adults or children. It is more common when the immune system is weakenedwhich can happen with age or in people receiving chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive treatments.
3. It can affect more than just the trunk
Most cases appear on the chest or back, but shingles can occur in any part of the body, including the face, limbs and even the genitals.
When it affects the face, it can involve the eyes through nerve branches that extend there. This form, known as ophthalmic herpes, can threaten vision and cause blindness if not treated quickly.
It can also affect the facial nerve that controls the muscles in the face – known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
Some people develop pain, tingling, or tenderness without a visible rash. The appearance of the area can also vary depending on skin tone, making it more difficult to detect on darker skin.
4. Early treatment helps
If you suspect shingles, consult a healthcare professional quickly. Antiviral medications can help shorten recovery time and reduce complications, but they work best when started within 48 to 72 hours of the rash appearing.
Certain groups – including young people, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with a weakened immune system and anyone with an area affecting the face, nose, eyes (including the ocular surface) or visual changes – should seek urgent medical attention.
5. The story doesn’t always end when the rash disappears
For some people, the shingles can cause problems even after the visible rash disappears. Open blisters can become infected with bacteria, sometimes requiring antibiotics.
The virus also can damage nearby nervesleading to postherpetic neuralgia – persistent nerve pain that can last months or even years after the skin has healed. It can manifest as burning, stabbing or throbbing pain in the same area where the rash appeared.
Unfortunately, the area can appear again, sometimes on another part of the body.
The shingles vaccine significantly reduces both the risk of developing the disease as the likelihood of prolonged nerve pain, such as postherpetic neuralgia, although it does not eliminate the risk completely.
Think of the zone not as something you “get” but as something you can awaken again within your own body. It’s a reminder that viruses don’t always leave when we think they do. And that Protecting yourself and others involves recognizing the signs early, covering the rash and seeking immediate medical advice..
