Fear of COVID-19 has stopped some Americans from getting the health care they need. But if you’re in pain, you don’t have to suffer. Whether you need a simple procedure or an elective surgery, Florida pain clinics are open and safe.
If you had chickenpox, you probably remember just how itchy those little red bumps were. Perhaps you recall staying home from school or soaking in an oatmeal bath to help soothe your skin.
Once you’ve had chickenpox, you won’t get it again. But many people don’t know that after you’ve had chickenpox, another skin-related infection called shingles can appear later in life. In fact, about one million Americans get shingles every year.
Louis J. Raso, MD, PA and the rest of our team treat patients with shingles here at our office in Jupiter, Florida. We explain more about shingles including who is at risk of developing it.
Shingles is a virus that usually comes in the form of a painful rash, often along your torso. Most people experience pain as the first symptom, and then days later notice a band of blister-like lesions. Although it’s uncomfortable, shingles is usually not a life-threatening condition.
Chickenpox and shingles come from the same virus -- the varicella zoster virus. Because of this, only people who’ve had chickenpox can get shingles. The virus stays dormant in your body, residing in your spinal cord and brain, and can reactivate years later.
Shingles is contagious, so you can only pass the virus to someone else if they aren’t immune to chickenpox. If it’s passed on to another person, the virus will appear as chickenpox rather than shingles.
Most of the time, shingles only affects a small area of your body. However, a rash isn’t the only symptom of shingles. Other symptoms include:
Anyone who's had chickenpox has the risk of developing shingles. If you’re over 50, you have a greater risk because the likelihood increases with age. Those living with diseases like HIV or cancer have a higher risk of getting shingles due to their weaker immune systems.
Certain medications, like those that contain steroids, may also trigger shingles.
Shingles goes away on its own but generally affects people for 3-5 weeks. Although there is no cure for shingles, Dr. Raso can help you manage the condition with pain medications or a cortisone injection.
You can also help prevent shingles by getting a vaccine. There are two options available, ZostavaxⓇ and ShingrixⓇ. The preferred vaccine, Shingrix, is a two-dose vaccination designed to prevent shingles for up to five years.
If you’re struggling with the pain of shingles, we can help you manage the condition. Call us today at 561-264-2929 or use our online scheduler to make an appointment.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Fear of COVID-19 has stopped some Americans from getting the health care they need. But if you’re in pain, you don’t have to suffer. Whether you need a simple procedure or an elective surgery, Florida pain clinics are open and safe.
When your hips hurt, you may not feel like doing much of anything. But that could be the worst thing to do. First, find out what’s causing your hip pain and then take action.
Your neck hurts when you move it. Then, your arm starts to tingle and go numb. Are those symptoms related? If you have cervical stenosis, they may be.
If your back hurts after you sneeze or bend over, you might have a compression fracture in one or more of your vertebrae. About 25% of postmenopausal women have compression fractures. The risk increases for both men and women as they age.
You’re in chronic pain and you just can’t stand it anymore. You’re tired of therapies that don’t work but don’t want to get addicted to opioids or other high-powered pain killers. Have you thought about spinal cord stimulation (SCS)?
Pain can radiate from its place of origin to other parts of your body. When you feel pain or other sensations in your arms or legs, you may not even realize it started in your spine. The following are the classic symptoms of spinal pain.