How Do You Know When You Are Getting Shingles
Shingles is an infection that causes a painful rash. Get advice from 111 as soon every bit possible if you think y'all have it.
Check if you have shingles
The start signs of shingles can be:
- a tingling or painful feeling in an expanse of skin
- a headache or feeling generally unwell
A rash will appear a few days later.
Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and breadbasket, only it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals.
The rash appears every bit blotches on your pare, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.
Urgent advice: Go communication from 111 as soon equally yous doubtable shingles
You might demand medicine to aid speed upwards your recovery and avoid longer-lasting problems.
This works best if taken within 3 days of your symptoms starting.
111 will tell you what to do. They tin can suit a telephone telephone call from a nurse or md if yous need one.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.
Other ways to become aid
Get an urgent GP appointment
A GP may be able to treat yous.
Inquire your GP surgery for an urgent appointment.
How to care for shingles symptoms yourself
Practise
-
take paracetamol to ease pain
-
keep the rash clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection
-
wear loose-fitting wear
-
apply a cool shrink (a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel or a wet cloth) a few times a day
Don't
-
practice not allow dressings or plasters stick to the rash
-
exercise not employ antibiotic cream – this slows healing
How long shingles lasts
Information technology tin can take upwardly to 4 weeks for the rash to heal.
Your peel can be painful for weeks subsequently the rash has gone, merely it normally gets ameliorate over fourth dimension.
Stay away from certain groups of people if you lot accept shingles
Y'all cannot spread shingles to others. Just people who have not had chickenpox before could grab chickenpox from yous.
This is considering shingles is acquired by the chickenpox virus.
Attempt to avoid:
- significant people who accept not had chickenpox earlier
- people with a weakened allowed system – similar someone having chemotherapy
- babies less than 1 calendar month former – unless you gave nascency to them, as your baby should be protected from the virus by your immune system
Piece of work and school
Stay off work or school if the rash is nevertheless oozing fluid (weeping) and cannot be covered, or until the rash has stale out.
You lot tin can only spread the infection to other people while the rash oozes fluid.
You can embrace the rash with loose clothing or a non-gummy dressing.
Shingles and pregnancy
If you're significant and go shingles, in that location's no danger to your pregnancy or babe.
But you should be referred to a specialist, as you may need antiviral treatment.
You cannot get shingles from someone with chickenpox
You cannot get shingles from someone with shingles or chickenpox.
But you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before.
When people get chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. It tin exist reactivated after and cause shingles if someone's allowed organisation is lowered.
This can be because of stress, certain weather condition, or treatments similar chemotherapy.
Shingles vaccination
A shingles vaccine is available on the NHS for people in their 70s. It helps reduce your risk of getting shingles.
If you go shingles after existence vaccinated, the symptoms can be much milder.
Inquire your GP surgery if you can get the vaccine on the NHS.
Find out more about who can have the shingles vaccine
Help united states improve
Tell us most your experience using health services.
Take our survey
Page final reviewed: 01 July 2021
Next review due: 01 July 2024
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/
0 Response to "How Do You Know When You Are Getting Shingles"
Post a Comment