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A shingles rash is a fairly common, painful, and debilitating condition. This blog aims to address an important question: Is shingles contagious? We'll also explore its causes, prevention strategies, and all the available treatment options to keep you informed and take effective precautions to protect yourself.
What is shingles?
Shingles is a painful and localized rash. It usually develops on one side of the body in a strip or band-like configuration. The shingles rash is at times described as a “blistering rash”. Nobody is immune from shingles as it can appear at any time and age. However, shingles symptoms are commonly encountered in individuals older than 50 and those with a compromised immune system. Effective treatment for shingles in Turkey is available at most clinics and hospitals with ease.
Shingles is a viral rash, therefore its treatment options are centered around symptomatic relief. The rash usually lasts for 2 weeks to 4 weeks and resolves without any adverse side effects in most people. Some patients may however develop postherpetic neuralgia, which has a significant impact on the quality of life. One of the advantages of seeking treatment for shingles in Istanbul is access to the latest medical innovations for such complications.
Prestigious medical and surgical centers like the Medical Park Hospitals are providing state-of-the art comprehensive services for shingles in Istanbul and many other cities across Turkey.
Where does shingles come from?
Most people suffer from chicken pox during childhood. A virus called the Varicella Zoster virus is responsible for causing it. Once chickenpox resolves, the virus burrows deep in the nerves and goes to sleep. In advanced age or in situations where the body’s immune system is low (fever, stress, etc.) the virus gets reactivated and causes shingles. If you get shingles while traveling, you can access the latest treatments for shingles in Turkey with ease and affordability.
As to what does shingles look like? It is a red, localized rash that appears on one side of the body. It commonly forms vesicles and blisters, appearing in either clusters or a strip/band-like formation on the torso, face, or neck. Like most of the world, shingles in Turkey is a common skin rash that impacts many people all year round.
Shingles The Disease - Transmission
Shingles is not transferable from person to person. However, contact with a shingles rash can infect a person who has never had chickenpox in life with the zoster virus and trigger active disease. The virus can be transmitted by:
Contact with the fluid from shingles blisters
Direct contact with blister fluid from a chicken pox rash
Contact with air-borne droplets from someone with chickenpox
It is not possible to get infected with Varicella Zoster through air-borne droplets of a shingles patient. Effective shingles treatment in Istanbul can limit the intensity and duration of its symptoms in most patients.
How common is shingles?
It is common to encounter patients with shingles rash in Turkey and many parts of the world. The incidence of shingles increases with age. It is a frequent issue in individuals over the age of 50. Approximately 10% of people who previously suffered from chicken pox in life, may develop a symptomatic shingles rash. High-quality shingles care in Istanbul and other parts of Turkey is available to both local and international patients. When seeking treatment for shingles in Turkey, it is advisable to practice strict hygiene measures to limit the spread of the zoster virus to unsuspecting and susceptible individuals.
Who is at risk of getting shingles?
Most people undergoing treatment for shingles in Turkey have the following risk factors:
Age – Adults 50 years or older
Immune System Weakness – HIV, AIDS, Transplant patients, Patients undergoing chemo or radiotherapy, etc.
Chronic Diseases – Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart or kidney disease
Stress-related – A potential trigger as it negatively impacts the immune system
Trauma-related – Adversely impacts the immune system
Irrespective of the cause, innovative interventions for shingles in Turkey are available in many advanced medical centers. One such example of a center providing state-of-the-art care for shingles in Istanbul is the prestigious Medical Park Hospital.
What causes shingles?
The answer to the question "How do you get shingles?" lies in childhood, when most people are infected with the varicella-zoster virus and develop chickenpox. Although the immune system effectively resolves the chickenpox infection, the virus is not completely eliminated. Instead, it hides in the nerve ganglia. Ganglia are like “Relay stations” between nerves. The virus enters these relay stations and goes to sleep, only to be awakened when the conditions are supportive (like immunosuppression). Reactivated virus leads to symptoms of shingles. Research is ongoing on effective shingles treatment in Turkey and many other parts of the world.
Varicella Zoster virus is a part of the Herpes family of viruses. These are DNA viruses that are responsible for infections such as oral and genital herpes, shingles, chickenpox, etc. Shingles in Turkey is a common skin rash that requires careful management to limit complications. Trends in shingles management in Istanbul align with the latest global techniques and treatment plans.
What are the symptoms of shingles?
The early symptoms of shingles in Turkey and the rest of the world are as follows:
Fever with chills
Headache
Feeling unwell
Digestive problems
Light sensitivity
Pre-rash itching and burning at the site
Rash with vesicles and blisters
Pain
Sites of Shingles Rash
Patients who come for shingles management to Turkey may have the rash on the face, lower body, or neck.
Complications of Shingles
After adequate treatment for shingles in Istanbul, the rash resolves without any issues in most patients. However, possible complications may include post-herpetic neuralgia, herpes zoster ophthalmicus, etc.
How is shingles diagnosed?
Patients seek treatment when they get early shingles or early shingles symptoms. Shingles in Turkey is diagnosed by using a combination of history, physical examination, and lab tests. The confirmatory investigations for shingles in Turkey include PCR, Direct Fluorescent Antibody, blood tests, and rarely viral cultures.
Prevention of Shingles
To prevent shingles in Turkey and the rest of the world, the WHO advises administering the Herpes Zoster/shingles vaccine to older or immunocompromised individuals. The vaccine has two doses that are given two months apart. It significantly decreases the risk of developing shingles.
How is shingles treated?
You may have come across online searches like, how to cure shingles in 3 days, however, there is no cure for it. Shingles management in Turkey includes a combination of Antivirals, pain medication, and anti-inflammatory medication (if needed). The Medical Park Healthcare Group is one of the oldest and most experienced in Turkey. With an enviable cadre of state-of-the-art hospitals, trained medical staff, and high-quality services, you can’t go wrong with choosing one of the many Medical Park Hospitals across Turkey for your healthcare needs.
