The Shingles Nightmare

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one out of every three people in the U.S. will develop shingles at some point in their life. The National Institute of Health for Senior Health suggests 50% of Americans will  develop shingles by the time they are 80 years of age.  Closely related to chickenpox, shingles is caused by the same virus, Herpes zoster, also known as Varicella zoster virus or VZV.  If you have ever had chickenpox, you have a high risk of developing shingles later in life as the virus remains in your body in a dormant state and can reactivate years later for reasons that are not fully understood.  Risk increases as you get older, and is especially likely if your immune system has been weakened or compromised for any reason, as well as during times when you are under stress.  

What exactly is shingles? The WebMD Slideshow illustrates shingles which develops into a painful rash, and is usually preceded by certain symptoms such as sharp, painful burning or itching which may occur from one to a few days prior, in the area where the rash will develop. This usually is notably on one side of the waist - a girdle like pattern from which shingles gets its name  (Latin word cingulum meaning belt or girdle) - or one side of the forehead although the blisters may occur anywhere on the body.  This also can be accompanied by fever, chills, headache, and nausea.  Clusters of painful, itching blisters appear.  The virus can easily be transmitted to others during this stage.  Those who never have had chickenpox can catch it from someone with shingles.  The shingles blisters will then scab over in 7-10 days and disappear within 2-4 weeks.  In those with weakened immune systems (which is likely if you contracted shingles in the first place) the lesions may not heal up well.  The sores are also an entry point for bacterial infections which may cause further complication. Be especially alert if the lesions develop on your forehead or close to the eyes as damage to the eyes can occur. In a few cases, the pain of shingles may persist after the outward signs of rash are gone.  This is called postherpetic neuralgia or PHP and is due to damaged nerves.  It usually does improve over time.

Most sites deny that you can catch shingles itself from another person, however, the virus is easily transmitted.  Shingles can develop if you have the virus in your body.  You have the virus in your body if you have had chickenpox before.  Some common questions:

Can you get chickenpox if you have been vaccinated for chickenpox?  Yes you can, although it is said to be  less common, and if it does occur, less severe.

Can you get shingles if you were vaccinated for chickenpox and never had the disease? Again, yes you can.  There is controversy on this subject, and some experts, including Dr. Mercola, believe having the chickenpox vaccine makes getting shingles even more likely.

Can you catch shingles from another person? Most sites deny that you can catch shingles itself from another person, however, the virus is easily transmitted.  Shingles can develop if you have the virus in your body.  You have the virus in your body if you have had chickenpox before, if you catch it from someone, or if you have been vaccinated either for chickenpox or shingles.

Can you get shingles more than once?  Yes you can.   The CDC states that while primary infection (ie, the first time you catch it) will result in chickenpox, the VZV remains dormant in the body and may reactivate later in life.  This is still true, even if you have shingles, the virus remains and may reactivate a second or third time, although recurrence is supposed to be less likely.

Is there a vaccine for shingles? Yes.  The vaccine is just a larger dose of the VZV  than the chickenpox vaccine.  The purpose of vaccines, remember is to introduce a virus into the body in order to stimulate your immune system to build up immunity against it.  People over 60 are encouraged to be vaccinated, however it is expensive and if you are on Medicare, may take a long time to be reimbursed.  People ages 50-59 may also optionally get this vaccine.  This may be helpful for individuals with a strong immune system but is not without risks.  The bottom line is that once VZV has been introduced into your body it stays there and can reactivate years later, regardless whether you had chickenpox before, both chickenpox and shingles, and/or were vaccinated for either of them. The shingles vaccine is thought to provide immunity for perhaps six years but the truth is there is a lot they do not know about it.

 Do I need an antibiotic to treat shingles?   No.  Since shingles is a virus, antibiotics will not help.  Antibiotics do not treat viral infections.

What is the difference between virus and bacteria? Bacteria, although too small to be seen without a microscope, are tiny single-cell creatures, capable of reproducing on their own and surviving within many different types of environments.  There are both good bacteria and bad bacteria that live within our bodies.  Fewer than 1% of bacteria cause disease, and of those that are harmful many are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Bacteria can also change form so that in certain circumstances, benign bacteria may become harmful.  A virus is much tinier than the smallest bacteria, and less complex.  They consist only of a protein coating which surrounds a core of genetic material, which is either DNA or RNA.  They cannot survive without a host and they replicate themselves by targeting specific types cells to which they attach and reprogram.  There are two types of life cycles for a virus.  In the simple lytic cycle, they inject their nucleic acid into the host cell, causing multiple copies of their protein coat and nucleic acid cores to be assembled into new viruses.  As the host cell becomes filled with these, it bursts and dies and the invaders target a new cell.  Shingles and other herpes viruses replicate through a lysogenic cycle, in which they can remain hidden in the host cell for years.  The nucleic acid of the virus does become part of the host cell but can remain there indefinitely without affecting cellular functions until something triggers the virus to become active.  At that point it will separate from the genetic material of the host cell and commandeer it to produce new viruses destroying the host cell in the process.

So how do you treat shingles?   Three most common antiviral drugs prescribed  to relieve shingles are  acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir.  Some doctors prescribe corticosteroids along with the antiviral drugs although studies show this does not help.  Side effects of these drugs include:

Acylovir:  nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, agitation, joint pain, hair loss and changes in vision.  Severe  reactions (call your doctor if you experience these) may include hives, rash, itching, difficulty breathing, swelling of face or throat, hoarseness, rapid heartbeat, weakness, pale skin, insomnia, fever, chills or other signs of infection, stomach pain or cramps, bloody diarrhea or urine, decreased urine output, confusion, aggressiveness, numbness, uncontrollable shaking or inability to move parts of the body, seizures or loss of consciousness.

Famciclovir: headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gas, stomach pain, fatigue, rash, itching, painful menstrual periods.  Severe  reactions (call your doctor if you experience these) may include  pain, numbness, tingling, or burning in hands or feet.

Valacyclovir: headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation.  Severe  reactions (call your doctor if you experience these) may include rash, itching, confusion, fever, bloody urine, yellowness of skin or eyes.



Increasing intake of pure natural Vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol, not dl-alpha-tocopheral which is synthetic) has been shown to facilitate healing of shingles and relieve the rash, as well as applying the pure Vitamin E oil directly to the lesions.  Also additional Vitamin C may be helpful.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and this information is for educational purposes only and not intended to prevent, diagnose, tmitigate, reat, or cure any disease.