Symptoms of Shingles in Women

Most of us have fallen prey to chickenpox in our childhood. If you had developed chickenpox, chances are you will develop shingles sometime in your life. Shingles is caused by the same villain that causes chickenpox, Herpes varicella zoster virus. Unlike chickenpox, shingles is a painful rash that occurs anywhere on the body. You will mostly spot this rash as a band of blisters. These blisters crop up around the back on one side of the chest up to the breastbone. Shingles is not a life-threatening disease. However, it is a very, very painful and uncomfortable condition. You need to seek medical treatment as soon as possible as it will help reduce complications arising from the condition. If you are wondering what are the symptoms of shingles in women, then continue reading.

Causes of Shingles in Women
As I have already said before, it is necessary for one to get chickenpox in order develop shingles disease. This is because the virus is not completely destroyed in the body. It tends to retreat and hide within the nervous system for years. When the body's immune system is weak, the virus becomes activated. The exact cause is still unknown, but it is seen affecting adults, especially those with weak immune system, like old people more. Women suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, autoimmune diseases and who are on chemotherapy or immunosuppressant drugs are at risk of developing shingles. Symptoms of shingles in pregnancy are similar to women who are not pregnant. Also, the herpes cure for pregnant women is similar to those who are not pregnant.

What are the Symptoms of Shingles in Women
The symptoms of shingles in women is similar to the symptoms seen in men. The first sign of shingles is an extremely sensitive and tingling skin. One may feel one section of the body is burning, painful as well as numb. As the condition progresses, one will find a red blisters appear. The red shingles rash develops around the chest from the spine to the breastbone. A few people also develop the rash around the neck, face and even thighs. This red rash turns into fluid filled blisters that burst with time and form crusts. This rash is extremely itching. The symptoms of shingles in women are accompanied with fever, chills, body aches as well as headache. The person suffering from shingles develops fatigue. Pain is the most prominent symptom of singles. Many times, one may experience symptoms of shingles without rash.

When the blisters break and form ulcers, they will soon form crusty scabs over them. These scabs will remain on your skin for several weeks and cause intense itching. It is important one refrains from scratching as it may lead to secondary bacterial infection. The blisters contain active virus and therefore the infected person is the most contagious at this stage. Symptoms of shingles in women may lead to postherpetic neuralgia. This means the infected woman may suffer from chronic shingles pain the area where the rash had developed. The pain may resolve itself after several months. It is important one seeks immediate medical attention in case the rash develops near the eyes as it may lead to permanent eye damage.

Treatment of Symptoms of Shingles in Women
Shingles last for a few weeks and heals on its own. However, it is necessary one takes prompt treatment for shingles to reduce the intensity of the rash and avoid complications. The doctor may recommend antiviral drugs like acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir, etc. Pain killers maybe advised to reduce the pain. Application of creams, gels and calamine lotion may help reduce the itchy skin.

Complications of Symptoms of Shingles in Women
These complications arise as the virus affects the nerves where it has lay dormant all these years. If the nerve travels down to the eyes, then one develops shingles in eye. If the nerve is present around the lower end of the body, then the waist, hips and thighs develop the rash. The virus may cause postherpetic neuralgia as mentioned above. In some cases it may cause ophthalmic zoster that leads to conjunctivitis. It is important to seek medical attention in this case as it may lead to eye damage and affect vision. A few people develop shingles in the ears. This leads to ear ache, dizziness, deafness and in some cases paralysis of face. This condition is called the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome.

This is all about symptoms of shingles in women. You can speak to your doctor about the precautions for shingles to avoid complications. If you have children or old people in your home, avoid direct contact with them. This is because they have a weak immune system and can easily catch an infection. Children may develop chickenpox, if they had not had it before and the elderly may develop shingles. Hope you have found useful information related to symptoms of shingles in women from the above paragraphs.