Shingles Reoccurrence: Understanding the Causes and Identifying Potential Victims
Shingles, a painful and often debilitating condition, can recur in some individuals, particularly those with weakened immune systems. This article aims to shed light on the factors contributing to multiple shingles outbreaks, the risks involved, and the preventive measures that can be taken.
The Risks of Shingles Recurrence
Shingles resurface when a weakened immune system allows the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox, to get reactivated. Factors that can weaken the immune system and increase the risk of shingles include diabetes, cancer, HIV, stress, steroids, chemotherapy, immunosuppressants for organ transplants, and chronic illnesses such as COPD.
Older adults, especially those over 50 and those in their 70s or older, experience a higher risk due to immune senescence, the natural decline in immune function with age. High emotional or physical stress can also impair immune responses and trigger virus reactivation.
The Frequency of Shingles Recurrence
While recurrences are relatively rare, they can occur more than twice within a year, at which point an immunological assessment is advised before vaccination. Antiviral prophylaxis, such as valacyclovir, can reduce the recurrence rate by up to 75%.
Preventive Measures
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help maintain the health of the immune system and stave off recurring infections. This includes maintaining healthy nutrition, exercising daily, improving sleep schedules, and boosting the body's natural defenses.
During shingles treatment, it is crucial to keep the affected area clean and bandaged to prevent secondary bacterial infections and limit the spread of the varicella-zoster virus. Avoiding pools or raw water (rivers, lakes, ponds, oceans) can help prevent further irritation or infection.
Over-the-counter pain medications and topical lotions like lidocaine cream or capsaicin cream can help relieve pain and reduce the severity of symptoms during shingles treatment.
The Shingles Vaccine
The shingles vaccine can help reduce the likelihood of future shingles outbreaks, even for those with weakened immune systems. Dr. Yagnik advises that anything that can keep the immune system healthy is beneficial in the long term.
It is important to note that while shingles generally occurs as a single episode, recurrences can happen, particularly in immune-compromised individuals or older adults. Multiple frequent outbreaks are rare and suggest underlying immune dysfunction requiring medical evaluation.
Symptoms of Shingles
Shingles can cause symptoms such as pain, burning, tingling, fluid-filled blisters, sensitivity to touch, sensitivity to light, red, itchy rash, fever, fatigue, and headache. If you suspect you have shingles, it is essential to seek medical attention promptly to begin treatment and prevent complications.
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Shingles: Detailed View. https://www.cdc.gov/shingles/about/index.html [2] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2021). Shingles Fact Sheet. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Shingles-Information-Page [3] Fox, R. I., & Gershon, A. D. (2016). Shingles and Postherpetic Neuralgia. In StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470317/ [4] World Health Organization. (2021). Shingles. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/shingles
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