by Melissa J Luther

Created on: May 09, 2008   Last Updated: May 12, 2008

The shingles/chicken pox virus (varicella-zoster) is a member of the herpes family of viruses. It causes two diseases, the itchy rash called chicken pox and a painful patch of blisters known as shingles. Chicken pox is usually a childhood disease, and shingles normally occurs in older adults.

CHICKEN POX

What is chicken pox?

Chicken pox is usually a mild disease causing a rash with red spots (pox) and flu-like symptoms, mostly in children. It is the result of your first exposure to the chicken pox virus.

Chicken Pox Symptoms

Initial symptoms of chicken pox resemble the flu; fever, headache, sore throat and lack of appetite. A day or two later the rash appears. New red spots continue to appear daily for up to a week. Each spot lasts for about 2 days, progressing through the stages of blistering, bursting, drying and finally crusting over.

Once all the spots have crusted over you are no longer contagious and it is safe for other people to be around you.

Treating Chicken Pox

Most children do not need any treatment for chicken pox beyond rest, fluids and antihistamines or hydrocortisone cream for the itching. As long as the child is healthy, it is safe to allow chicken pox to just run its course.

Children with other health problems, as well as teenagers, adults and pregnant women need to see a doctor. The disease can be much more serious for them, and during early pregnancy it can cause birth defects. Your doctor can determine the best course of treatment.

Preventing Chicken Pox

The best way to avoid catching chicken pox is to be vaccinated. Introduced in 1995, the chicken pox vaccine has greatly reduced the number of cases each year. It is now a part of the normal course of childhood vaccinations, and has even been added as a fourth component of the MMR vaccine.

Adults who have never had chicken pox should also be vaccinated.

SHINGLES

What is shingles?

Some of the varicella-zoster virus often remains in the body after an initial bout of chicken pox. It hides in the nerve cells and sometimes re-emerges years later. This re-emergence is known as shingles.

Shingles Symptoms

The first stage of a shingles outbreak often feels like a mild flu. Then you start to feel tingling or pain on one side of your body. A few days later you develop a rash in that same spot, which turns into a patch of very painful blisters.

Causes of Shingles

The reason for the re-emergence of the virus is not clear. It is often associated with times of high stress or other illness. The common factor seems to be a weakened immune system.

Shingles Treatment

Although there is no cure for shingles, antiviral medications along with steroids may shorten the duration and/or severity of symptoms.

Beyond that, it takes about 2-4 weeks for shingles to clear up. During this time, keep the area clean and take care of any blisters that burst. Take pain relievers as necessary.

Remember that the shingles virus is the same one that causes chicken pox. Even though you cannot get chicken pox again, while you have shingles anyone who has not had chicken pox or has not been immunized can catch chicken pox from you.

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