Usually no treatment needed
In healthy people shingles heals on its own. You can dry out the blisters with zinc oxide oil if you like, which also lowers the chance of a bacterial infection.
Infection
Medically reviewed by Dr. A.M. van Coevorden, dermatologist
± 3 min read
Shinglesherpes zoster
Learn what shingles is, how to recognise it and which treatments are available. In plain language, based on the patient information leaflet from the NVDV.
What is shingles?
Shingles (medical name: herpes zoster) is a skin condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Each year about 3 in 1,000 people get shingles, especially people with reduced resistance.
How do you get shingles?
After chickenpox, the virus stays in a nerve node next to the spinal cord for the rest of your life, without symptoms. In certain circumstances it becomes active again and grows along the nerve pathways to the skin. Then it is called shingles. Why the virus reactivates is not certain; it probably has to do with reduced resistance, but healthy people can get it too.
People more likely to get shingles are:
- older people (their resistance is often already lower)
- seriously ill people
- people taking immunosuppressant medicines
- people receiving radiotherapy
What symptoms does shingles cause?
Shingles can appear anywhere, but is usually on the torso (50%), often in a band that wraps around one side like a belt. It can also appear on the arms (20%) or face (15%). The rash is usually on one side of the body, in the area of a single nerve. The skin can be tender first, and you may feel ill with a headache and fever. After that, red bumps with blisters appear, which dry into crusts after 2 to 4 weeks.
Please note
Are the blisters near the eye or on the nose? Then always have a doctor look at it: an eye inflammation can develop.
Is shingles contagious?
Y
Yes. Shingles is contagious to anyone who has not yet had chickenpox. Stay away from newborns, pregnant women and people with reduced resistance.
How does the doctor make the diagnosis?
The doctor recognises shingles from the combination of how your skin looks and your symptoms. To confirm the diagnosis, the blister fluid is sometimes tested for the virus.
What treatments are available?
Pain relief
For pain you can take paracetamol. If that is not enough, ask your doctor for stronger pain relief.
Antiviral medicines
For shingles on the face or with an immune disorder, treatment is with aciclovir, valaciclovir or famciclovir. These work best when the infection has only just begun.
Does shingles go away?
In healthy people shingles heals on its own; sometimes scars remain. After healing, the skin can stay painful because the virus has affected the nerves, especially in older people and with shingles on the face. Good pain relief is then important. You can get shingles more than once in your life.
What can you do yourself?
Cover the skin, for example with a dressing, to reduce pain and irritation. Prevent blister fluid from coming into contact with babies, pregnant women and people with reduced resistance. If the blisters break open, apply zinc oxide oil to prevent inflammation from bacteria.
Frequently asked questions about shingles
Is shingles the same virus as chickenpox?
Yes. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After chickenpox the virus stays in the body and can return later as shingles.
Can I infect others?
Yes, people who have not yet had chickenpox can be infected through the blister fluid. Stay away from newborns, pregnant women and people with reduced resistance.
Why does the pain sometimes last so long?
The virus affects the nerves. As a result the pain (postherpetic neuralgia) can last for months to years, especially in older people and with shingles on the face. Good pain relief is then important.
Do I need antiviral medicines?
In healthy people usually not: shingles heals on its own. For shingles on the face or with reduced immunity, yes, ideally started as early as possible.
Can shingles come back?
Yes, you can get shingles more than once in your life. If it happens often, your doctor may consider giving antiviral tablets daily.
Sources and more information
- NVDV patient leaflet on shingles (nvdv.nl)
- Huidpatiënten Nederland (huidpatienten-nederland.nl)
Source: Dutch Society of Dermatology and Venereology (NVDV).
Conditions caused by a virus
All conditions A–ZChickenpox
A contagious viral infection with itchy blisters all over the body.
Cold sore (herpes simplex)
Recurring blisters on the lips caused by the herpes virus.
Erysipelas
A bacterial inflammation of the skin with redness, warmth and swelling.