Unbearable pain from shingles, the gold time for shingles treatment is within 72 hours!!

My mother experienced shingles when her immune system was weakened, and she suffered from unbearable pain and suffering.

The gold standard time for herpes zoster treatment is within 3 days, or 72 hours, of onset.

We also recommend the shingles vaccine as a preventive measure against shingles!!

 

When initial rash symptoms appear, blisters are not visible and it looks like a skin condition. At first, it only appears in 2-3 places, resembling insect bites.

 

Red rashes are spreading around and forming blisters or vesicles!!

 

 

Even two years have passed since I had shingles, but the traces of shingles still remain.

 

My mother’s immune system was greatly weakened due to knee surgery.

He is currently hospitalized after surgery, and he keeps saying that his back is itchy.

So I wondered if I was bitten by a bug, and at first, I saw 2-3 red spots that looked like skin conditions.

My mom felt itchy and then experienced a sharp, stabbing pain along with a burning sensation.

And I also had a fever, and the pain was so severe that I felt a burning sensation and stabbing pain like needles, I couldn't bear it.

The first time I felt something strange, my mother's back had about 2-3 red spots, but when she experienced pain, the spots around that area increased and looked like blisters.

I was diagnosed with shingles directly at the hospital and received treatment for shingles.

I first learned about shingles at that time. The doctor said that because they were at the hospital, it was possible to detect it quickly, and that the skin rash symptoms appeared, so early treatment was necessary.

Herpes zoster is treated with antiviral medication, but even during treatment, unbearable pain—something only those who have experienced it can understand—causes such suffering that people can't sleep well due to the intense pain.

Since I was continuing to take the prescribed medication, the pain gradually improved. The doctor said that shingles can recur if the immune system weakens, so he recommended prevention and also suggested a preventive vaccination after one year.

The point to note here is that if you have had shingles, you should not get the preventive vaccine immediately after treatment; instead, wait one year before receiving the preventive shot.

 

 

What is shingles?

Herpes zoster is a disease in which the varicella-zoster virus remains asymptomatically around the nerves after causing chickenpox in childhood, and when immunity to the varicella-zoster virus decreases, it travels along the nerves to the skin, causing rashes and severe pain.

It mainly occurs in people over their 50s, and the initial symptoms include a tingling and burning sensation on the face or inside the ears, along with skin rashes. The rash gradually turns into blister-like formations.

 

What are the symptoms of shingles?

Most appear in a band shape and are accompanied by a stabbing pain. They mainly occur on the torso and buttocks, but can also appear on areas with nerves such as the face and head. If the area has nerves, it can occur anywhere on the face, arms, or legs.

The most prominent symptom of shingles is pain.

Pain is mostly localized to one side of the body and manifests as a sore or tingling sensation. These symptoms last for about 1 to 3 days, followed by the appearance of a red rash, and may be accompanied by fever or headache. Blisters last for approximately 2 to 3 weeks, and after they disappear, pustules and scabs form, gradually fading away.

Red spots on the skin turn into blisters.

Then, like acne, pus accumulates and turns into a scab.

Blisters spread in a shape that wraps around the torso and appear only on one side of the body following nerve lines.
Some people also complain of fever or headache.

 

Shingles treatment?

Shingles is treated with antiviral medications. Early administration of antiviral drugs is said to be most effective. To manage pain caused by shingles, painkillers are taken, and the type of painkiller varies depending on the severity of the symptoms.

If early symptoms of the disease have already begun to appear, remember that the golden time for treatment is about 3 days. It is best to visit the hospital and start management within at least 72 hours after the skin rash appears.

 

The reason shingles is dangerous is because the virus infects the nerves, and shingles can occur anywhere on the skin. If the treatment for shingles is delayed or not properly received, it can lead to various sequelae and complications. Usually, 70% of patients improve within a year, but sometimes nerve pain can persist, leading to postherpetic neuralgia. Therefore, early intervention at the onset of shingles is very important, and if blisters appear on the body, it is best to visit a hospital within 72 hours.

 

Is shingles contagious?

People who have had chickenpox before may experience reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus that had been dormant in their nerve cells after the initial infection. This causes shingles, and it is possible to transmit shingles to people who have never had chickenpox. Most transmission occurs through contact with the fluid from the blisters of a shingles patient after they burst, but it can rarely be transmitted through airborne infection. Therefore, it is advisable for people who have never had chickenpox to get the chickenpox vaccine if they come into contact with a shingles patient.

 

How to prevent shingles?

The starting point of this disease can be said to be a weakened immune system. Therefore, it is good to thoroughly manage your immunity. Consistently exercising, maintaining a proper diet, managing your condition well, and keeping your mind at ease are the best! Additionally, getting vaccinated is also said to be very helpful. It provides more than a 50% prevention effect, and even if you do get sick, the illness tends to pass in a relatively mild form, so getting vaccinated in advance is recommended.

 

Shingles prevention vaccine?

Shingles vaccination is recommended for those aged 50 and older.

It has the effect of reducing the incidence of shingles and significantly decreasing nerve pain when it occurs.

Getting vaccinated doesn't mean you won't get sick, but it helps reduce pain and nerve pain, and is good for preventing complications.

If you had shingles, do not get the preventive vaccine immediately after treatment; wait one year before receiving the preventive shot.

The effect of the injection provides 5 years of lasting protection with a single dose.