Why is shingles suddenly in the news? English pop star Ed Sheeran posted on Instagram on Tuesday that he was recovering from shingles. “I wouldn’t recommend it but I’m on the mend now,” he told his fans, while revealing his new shaved-head look to his 48 million followers.
What is it and should I be worried about catching it?
Shingles is a viral illness caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. If you’ve had chickenpox as a child or adult, the virus remains dormant in your body and can be reactivated when your immune system is weakened due to stress, illness or fatigue.
“It’s very common and nobody should be worried about it as there are very effective treatments,” says Wicklow-based GP Dr Phillip Sheeran Purcell.
You can’t catch shingles from someone, but if you’ve never had chickenpox and you come into physical contact with an active oozing shingles blister, you could get chickenpox.
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I thought shingles was more a disease associated with older people?
Sheeran Purcell says people can get shingles at any age, but older people are more likely to have more severe symptoms and can suffer from complications such as post-herpetic neuralgia, a chronic painful condition. For these reasons, and new evidence that the shingles vaccine offers some protection against dementia and heart disease, medical experts in Ireland have called for free shingles vaccines for those aged 65 and older.
If I have a rash, how do I know if it is shingles or not?
The first signs of shingles are a tingling or painful feeling in a specific area of the body, combined with a headache or general feeling of being unwell. Red blotches usually appear on one side of the chest or tummy, but sometimes on the face, eyes and genitals. A rash on both sides of the body is unlikely to be shingles.
What should I do if shingles is confirmed?
If the rash is near your eyes, the HSE recommends you contact your GP or attend an emergency department immediately. Otherwise, the treatment depends on the severity of the illness. If your symptoms are mild, a pharmacist can prescribe medication. Anti-viral medication should be taken within two to three days of the rash appearing. Painkillers also reduce skin, muscle or nerve pain.
How long will the rash last and what else should I do to help ease the symptoms?
It can take up to four weeks for the shingles rash to heal. During this time you should keep the area clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection. You should wear loose-fitting clothes that don’t irritate your skin. You should also avoid contact with pregnant women who have never had chickenpox, babies less than one month old (except your own baby, who should be protected by antibodies you passed on), and anyone with a weakened immune system.
