Herpes zoster (or simply zoster), commonly known as shingles and also known as zona, in Tagalog called Kulebra, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe. The initial infection with varicella zoster virus (VZV) causes the acute (short-lived) illness chickenpox which generally occurs in children and young people. Once an episode of chickenpox has resolved, the virus is not eliminated from the body but can go on to cause shingles—an illness with very different symptoms—often many years after the initial infection.
Hubby just recently got infected. It took a month that we (baby and I) did not slept with him. He has been in a quarantine. Simply because we don't want to get infected especially the baby. Thank God before our summer escapade he was healed. He undergone antiviral which was extremely expensive having 10 tablets a day for seven days, the cream for blister and the solutions for wound cleaning. I ain't complaining since it is needed to be cured, what I am just highlighting is that, it is so expensive to have a disease. Extremely expensive that we better took care of ourselves very well. Good thing hubby have a healthy skin. Easy to pamper and to cure. After he got infected it even did no leave any scar on his skin. His skin reacts good to the ointment and petroleum jelly. I did not know what to do if I will acquire the same disease for I have the worst skin ever. That's why I took care of it. It didn't reacts good to any topical ointment. Maybe because I don't eat vegetables. Same reason why my wounds isn't heals good and make scars. As per wikipedia's definition, herpes zoster or shingles is from virus varicella zoster which acquired firs when we were a child. In layman's term a revival of the same virus as we had chicken pox and now resulting to a second stage skin disease. How did hubby have it, as posted, he has the virus when he had a chicken pox when he was still a kid. It just reactivated and turn out to be another skin disease now. What causes it to reactivated?What are the symptoms? How it started? Period of communicability? How to treat? This were the questions that I will write as my hubby experienced it.
What causes it to reactivated?
>>compromised or weak immune system
>>stress
>>lack of sleep/rest
I admit hubby is not healthy anymore. Since he entered the BPO, his habits changed to unhealthy lifestyle. He did not go to gym anymore like what he used to. Not eat vegies (I admit my fault cause I don't cook nor choose to eat one) and he's feeling stressed about the business renovation for he wanted to get back to work once it has been settled.
What are the symptoms? How it started?
>> it simply started in a pimple like itchy blister. It was taken for granted for the first appearance for we only saw it as a simple back rashes. Not until it immediately became worst on the next day as we hurriedly went to a Dermatologist.
Period of communicability?
>>A person can no longer spread the herpes zoster virus once the rash lesions crust over.
How to treat?
>> there is no cure for herpes zoster, basically what hubby had just certain medicines (known as antivirals) that shorten the length and severity of his condition. There is also a vaccine that can prevent herpes zoster in the future.
