Shingles:TheReawakeningofChickenpox


Many of us think of chickenpox as a childhood illness — a harmless rite of passage that fades into memory once the itchy blisters heal. However, what most people don't realize is that the virus behind chickenpox,thevaricella-zostervirus(VZV),neverreallyleavesthebody.Instead,itliesdormantinthe nervoussystemforyears,onlytoreawakenlaterinlifeasapainfulandpotentiallydebilitatingcondition known as shingles.1

Shingles,or"kulebra"asit’slocallyknown,isaviralinfectionthatcancauseseverediscomfort.It’sthe same virus that caused your chickenpox but reawakens when your immune system is weakened.2

Inaradiointerview,FamilyMedicineandGeriatricsExpertDr.CheridineOro-Josef,likenedthepainof shingles to "a dormant volcano suddenly coming to life."3She emphasized that the most challenging symptom isn’t the rash itself, but rather the nerve pain known as postherpetic neuralgia4or long-term nervepain.Herpatients oftendescribedthispainas"barbedwires"piercingtheskin,whichcan linger for months or even years after the rash has healed.

"Whenitdevelopsthere,itcanbeextremelypainfulbecauseitaffectsthenerves.Oursensationscome fromournerves,soiftheyareinflamedoraffected,thepaincanbereallyintense,”Dr.Oro-Josefsaid.

Shinglesprimarilyaffectsolderadults,particularlythoseover50,2aswellasindividualswithweakened immune systems due to conditions such as asthma, coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, orrheumatoid arthritis.5In fact, about 24 percent ofadults aged 50 to 59—around 2 million Filipinos—are at risk of developing shingles.6

Spottingthesigns
Shingles often starts with signs that are easy to miss. You might feel itching, tingling, or a burning sensationononesideofyourbody.4Thisearlyfeelingcanseemlikeaminorskinirritationbutisactually a warning of more noticeable symptoms to come.

As shingles progresses,a painfulrash usually appears.Itbegins with a few red spots or small blisters thatquicklyturnintoclustersoffluid-filledblisters,whichthencrustover.Inadditiontotherash,shingles cancausesharp,shooting painthatcanlastfor more than 10 days.4Youmightalsoexperiencefever, headaches, sensitivity to light, and fatigue.2

Dr.Oro-JosefnotedthatsincetheVZVcanspreadthroughdirectcontactwithfluidfromshinglesblisters or through airborne particles if the blisters burst, individuals with shingles should isolate themselves. This helps prevent spreading the virus, especially to those who haven’t had chickenpox or been vaccinated.3
1BollaertsK;Epidemiologyandinfection;2017;145;2666-2677
2Shingles.MayoClinic.Retrievedfrom:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/symptoms-causes/syc-20353054
3TeleradyoSerbisyo.(2024,September11). Nagseserbisyo,NinaCorpuz.YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQBSwG0nqY
4WebMD;2024;1-9;Shingles:EverythingYouNeedtoKnow.Shingles(HerpesZoster):Symptoms,Causes,andTreatment
5BatramM;DermatolTher(Heidelb);2021;11;1009–1026.et.al.,(June2021).BurdenofHerpesZosterinAdultPatientswithUnderlyingConditions:AnalysisofGermanClaims Data, 2007–2018. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-021-00535-7
6HanR.et.al.,(2022,November23) PublicHealthImpactofIntroducinganAdjuvantedRecombinantZosterVaccineinthePhilippines [PosterPresentation].44thPSMID Annual Convention, Manila, Philippines.

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