Shingles Causes

Daily Health Solutions, Healthy Aging
on January 26, 2012

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a viral infection, related to but not the same as chicken pox. Shingles begins with pain, followed by a painful skin rash. In some cases, the pain continues for months after the rash disappears. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in three people will be infected with shingles in his or her lifetime.

Varicella-zoster virus. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chicken pox. Scientists believe, reports the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), that in the “original battle with the varicella-zoster virus, some of the virus particles leave the skin blisters and move into the nervous system.” When the virus reactivates, it “moves back down the long nerve fibers that extend from the sensory cell bodies to the skin.” The viruses continue to multiply and the shingles rash develops.

What if I’m exposed to shingles? Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, direct contact with the fluid from shingles skin blisters can spread the varicella-zoster virus. Casual contact or being exposed to a patient’s sneezing, coughing or saliva will not spread the virus. If you do have direct contact with active shingles and have never had the chicken pox, you can contract the varicella-zoster virus, which may result in an eruption of chicken pox but not shingles. Keeping an oozing shingles rash covered can help reduce the risk of others being exposed to the varicella-zoster virus.