Shingles and Chickenpox are both caused by the same virus, the varicella zoster. What is really important to know is that you cannot totally get rid of the chickenpox virus. It stays in your body and often returns as shingles. Shingles is normally considered much more dangerous than chickenpox as it can be much more painful and could lead to certain side effects.
If you have never seen shingles before then it is good to have an idea of what it looks like. A rash will appear on one side of your body, and can often follow the same path as a nerve. The area can be painful and is often mistaken for an allergic reaction. What happens is that the rash will spread and develop blisters. The blisters will eventually break, dry up and crust over, if left untreated this can take several weeks to happen.
Once the rash is fully developed you can experience a burning or tingling sensation on your skin, plus it can also start to itch like crazy. Numerous people develop a lot of pain during this time, and sometimes this pain can almost be unbearable.
The affected area on your body can also be so sensitive that it is difficult to wear any clothing on the infected area. This is why it is very important to find a good shingles treatment and start using it immediately.
A popular shingles treatment is one that is available without a prescription and is made from natural plants. These plants are formed into what we know as ‘essential oils’ and simply needs to be dabbed gently onto the shingles rash. If started early enough these oil treatments can help clear up the shingles rash very quickly. So instead of suffering for 3 – 4 weeks the outbreak can be cleared up in 7 – 10 days.
Other over the counter products can be used as shingles treatment and this includes the use of anti viral medications and products. No matter which type of product you use it is wise to start using it as soon as possible. This is especially true if the shingles rash appears on your face, as complications can arise.
The biggest complication from shingles is that of developing neuralgia, which is chronic pain that persists after the rash has disappeared. This could last for weeks and is very painful and uncomfortable.
Many people mistake shingles for an insect bite or other rash. The one way to know that you could have a shingles attack is if the rash starts to become very painful. It is the ‘pain’ of shingles which shows its ugly head first. Plus the rash will develop in a fairly straight line on one side of your body. So if your insect bite or rash becomes extremely painful, then your best bet is to treat it as shingles.
The herbal variety is probably the best shingles treatment because it contains no chemicals and will not harm your skin or body. It will attack the shingles virus immediately, if this is indeed what you do have. After having one attack it is possible to suffer from more shingles attacks so it is best to always be prepared and have some type of shingles treatment handy.
