What Is Shingles and What Happens if you Get It?

Question

My grandfather has shingles and I am wondering what it is and is it curable?

Answer 1

Shingles is an acute viral disease affecting the(ganglia) of certain nerves, characterized by inflammation , pain,and skin eruptions along the course of the affected nerve.TECHNICAL NAMES. Herpes. This is from the dictionary.   This is from the medical journal. Herpes-  Shingles. This is from a medical journal.   Inflamation of the skin or mucous membrane of the mouth and face,                                  characterized by development of the patches of tiny blisters, sometimes occuring in conjunction with the common cold.

Herpes Zosteris shingles appearing usually in adults with inflammation and eruption along the course of a nerve, usually the trunk of the body. Both conditions are caused by viruses. The virus causing Herpes Zoster in adults is chicken pox in children, according to recent research. So I guess itis curable.

Answer 2

What is Shingles?

Shingles (herpes zoster) is an outbreak of rash or blisters on the skin that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox — the varicella-zoster virus.

The severity and duration of an attack of shingles can be significantly reduced by immediate treatment with antiviral drugs, which include acyclovir, valcyclovir, or famcyclovir. Antiviral drugs may also help stave off the painful after-effects of shingles known as postherpetic neuralgia. Other treatments for postherpetic neuralgia include steroids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and topical agents.

Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for shingles. Scientists think that in the original battle with the varicella-zoster virus, some of the virus particles leave the skin blisters and move into the nervous system.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shing...

Answer 3

You can get more information about Shingles from here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_zost...

There are two medicine are available in the market for the treatment of Shingles. Valtrex and Acyclovir medications are very useful for the treatment of Shingles. But these medications are prescription medication so you should to get valid prescription from your doctors for these medications..

Answer 4

Its a very painfull skin condition that effects the nerve endings . Its treatable , some cases last longer than others.

Answer 5

it is treatable and your grandfather will be fine