A few days ago, I felt tired because I was busy moving, but suddenly my lips swelled up three days ago.

I thought I was having a hard time, so I lightly applied Vaseline and went to work.

In the afternoon, it doesn't settle down and feels like it's swelling more and more, with a tingling sensation, could it be shingles?

I heard that shingles usually form a band-like pattern.

                    Reference to Chonnam National University Hospital Journal

For example, I know that areas where the bra strap circumference, armpit circumference, or neck circumference overlap on the body are prone to easily developing issues, so I only lightly touched my lips and didn't think of shingles, assuming it would heal easily.

     

On the second morning, I noticed that the number of blisters had increased and the sharp, stabbing pain was coming on more intensely at times.

I delayed going to work a bit and stopped by the hospital.

He asked how many days it has been, and I replied that it seems to be about two days.

They said welcome and prescribed ointment.

The symptoms are still sharp stabbing pain and blisters, and since it has only been two days since onset, they said ointment would be sufficient.I remember buying a similar ingredient ointment at the pharmacy, it was acyclovir ointment.

Since it is also a lip area and a small region, I applied it by dabbing it onto the lesion area with a cotton swab, and I also applied it before going to bed and slept. The pain that was intensively bothering me in the morning has decreased.

Shingles is a disease caused by the reactivation of the dormant chickenpox virus due to weakened immunity, which travels along nerves and causes inflammation. The initial symptoms start similarly to a cold, and a few days later, skin rashes appear. Because the symptoms resemble those of a cold or flu, early treatment is often missed. In the past, this was even more common among elderly people in their 70s and 80s, who were called "Solchi." There was a time when Solchi was considered an incurable disease. When the pain affects the nerves, it can become permanent, causing suffering until death, which my grandmother used to say was a very frightening disease. Shingles occurs frequently in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or in those with weakened immune systems due to organ transplants or chemotherapy, and in such cases, it can also develop in young people. In patients with severely compromised immunity, the infection can spread throughout the body and lead to death.

*Location of onset: Skin, Nervous system

Changes during 10-14 days after blister formation

Changes in skin lesions of herpes zoster: Naver source

Treatment (Seoul National University Hospital Medical Information)

Treatment for shingles involves the administration of antiviral medications, which has become the standard for treating acute shingles.

By inhibiting the replication of the virus, it is possible to reduce the extent of nerve damage caused by the virus, which can be a major cause of neuralgia after the target lesion.

 

These days, shingles prevention vaccines are recommended at hospitals. A single dose is advised for adults over 60 years old. I have had the vaccination for my parents and in-laws. In daily life, it is also important to avoid overwork and stress, get sufficient sleep, and consume a variety of nutrients.

Shingles is very important to treat early, so carefully check if you have skin rashes after a cold or flu-like symptoms, and if so, visit a nearby pharmacy or hospital for appropriate measures and treatment.