Herpes Shingles
Pain as a Symptom of Shingles
Author: Anthony Galz
Unsightly rashes are not the only symptoms of the shingles disease. People with shingles also experience extreme pain. What is shingles pain and how can it affect you?
Pain Before the Rashes
The outbreak of rashes is not the only sign of the condition. The first real sign of shingles is shingles pain. The reason why shingles pain occurs first before the rashes is that damage to the nerves happens first.
After an individual recuperates from chicken pox, the virus usually gets stored in a nerve near the spinal cord. When the virus is reactivated, it can cause the nerve to become inflamed which is the initial cause of shingles pain. As the virus travels to the skin and becomes obvious as rashes, the pain may begin to worsen. The degree and constancy of the pain however varies from one individual to another.
Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN)
In some cases, the shingles pain may even persist long after the shingles rashes disappear. This is a condition known as post herpetic neuralgia. It is believed that the initial swelling of the nerve may result in the nerve defensively releasing substance P which is the known signal for pain. People with severe shingles may have severely damaged nerves, thus resulting in chronic shingles pain known as post herpetic neuralgia.
Age and PHN
It is an accepted fact that older people have higher chances of suffering from shingles than younger people. This is because older individuals have weaker immune systems due to the natural ageing of their bodies\' systems. There is also a possibility that older people with shingles as well as those who have low stress tolerance have a greater chance of suffering from post herpetic neuralgia. The reasons for this are unclear but it is possible that PHN is also still linked with the body\'s level of immunity and capacity for self healing.
Treatment of PHN
There is really no clear cure for shingles pain that has progressed to PHN. It is possible though to ease this chronic shingles pain and possibly even prevent it. Some suggest that early shingles treatment can reduce the possibility of developing PHN.
Shingles treatment may include anti viral medications and pain relievers. For those who already have PHN, doctors may prescribe a number of medications which include antidepressants, lidocaine patches, anticonvulsants and opioids. Further studies are needed to determine how exactly antidepressants work to prevent or ease shingles pain.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation may possibly relieve PHN. A study conducted for more than two decades showed that people who were given small doses of radiation on the affected nerves experienced relief from PHN. Some participants even experienced more relief from radiation doses than from the usual shingles medications. It is believed that radiation can prevent both inflammation and the increase of the virus. The use of radiation however almost always carries some risks.
Cure your shingles disease. Read tips on how to get rid of shingles pain for good!
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