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A viral condition known for its painful, raised rash appearing on one side of the body.
What is it?
Herpes Zoster, commonly referred to as shingles, is a viral ailment that is known for its painful band-like skin rash with blisters. The ailment is triggered by the Varicella-Zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. If you've contracted chickenpox in the past, the virus can remain dormant in nerve tissues for years or even decades and reactivate later to trigger shingles.
Typical symptoms can include pain, itchiness, and a burning sensation prior to the emergence of the rash, which may be coupled with fever, headache, and exhaustion. The shingles rash appears on one side of the body and is typically very uncomfortable. When on the face, the rash can be problematic as it approaches the eyes, nose or mouth. In more severe cases of shingles, patients can develop long-lasting complications such as postherpetic neuralgia which causes nerve pain well after the outbreak has subsided.
How is it treated?
While the shingles virus cannot be fully cured, the Mountain State Dermatology team can help you manage its symptoms and reduce its duration. Reducing the painful rash is often the first priority for patients. We can treat your rash with corticosteroids to decrease inflammation and offer a variety of pain management options. We may also prescribe antiviral medications to reduce the severity and duration of your shingles. Antivirals can also help avert long-term complications like the nerve pain from postherpetic neuralgia.
To get help with your shingles, schedule an exam with our teams in Bridgeport, Clarksburg, Elkins, Hurricane, Morgantown, Parkersburg, South Charleston and Wheeling, West Virginia; in Waynesburg and Uniontown, Pennsylvania and in Marietta, Ohio.