If a person has had chicken pox, there is about a 1 in 5 chance that he or she will develop shingles at sometime in their life. |
First: about chicken pox
Chicken pox is a common disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which is part of the herpesvirus family.
Adults can get chicken pox although it is more common in children under the age of 15.
Chicken pox most often occurs in the late winter and early spring and is very contagious. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus and spreads in tiny droplets of saliva and nasal mucus, by sneezes and coughs from an infected person. A person is infectious from about 2 days before the rash appears until roughly 5 days after when the blisters have fully crusted over, which is usually 5-7 days after the first blister appears. After the last blister has burst and crusted over, one is no longer infectious.
A person usually has only one episode of chicken pox in his or her lifetime. However, the virus that causes chicken pox can lie dormant within the body and can cause a different type of skin eruption later in life called shingles.
Breakspear Hospital offers a vaccine for children aged 12 months or older, adolescents and adults. The mercury-free vaccine is called Varilrix® (GlaxoSmithKline) and it works by causing the body to produce its own protection (antibodies) against this disease. Return to Flu & Other Vaccinations for prices and booking instructions.
Next: about shingles
If a person has had chicken pox, there is about a 1 in 5 chance that he or she will develop shingles at sometime in their life. Approximately 1 in 50 people has shingles 2 or more times in their life.
Shingles is an infection caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, therefore anyone who has had chicken pox in the past may develop shingles. Shingles itself is not contagious; however, people who have not had chicken pox may catch chicken pox from someone with shingles through direct contact with the blisters of shingles.
After recovering from chicken pox, although the symptoms go away, virus particles remain dormant in the nerve roots, next to the spinal cord. Generally it is more common in older people and in people with conditions where the immune system is poor such as HIV/AIDS, after chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, and in those taking high dose steroids or low-dose steroids in combination with other medicines. Any kind of emotional and mental stress also plays a huge role in provoking an attack of shingles, as stress suppresses the immune system.
Symptoms of shingles include:
- a localised band of pain which may be constant dull, burning, or gnawing pain.
- a rash which appears shortly after the pain begins, which start as red blotches and can develop into itchy blisters, which may scar.
- fatigue and weakness.
A variety of complications may occur including persistent nerve pain, skin infection, eye problems and muscle weakness. Severe pains may persist for months afterwards.
Most of the commonly used treatments are addressing the symptoms to help the patient deal with the pain.
At Breakspear Hospital, along with addressing the patients’ symptoms and providing relieve with a variety of medications and treatments, we also work to boost the immune system to help the body fight the virus through a number of different methods. These treatment methods include: lifestyle advice and dietary changes including nutritional supplementation, low-dose immunotherapy and botanical treatments.
If you wish to receive a chicken pox vaccination, contact our Immunisation Department. If you are suffering from shingles, make an appointment by contacting Reception 01442 261 333 to make an appointment with a Breakspear doctor to find out which treatment programme may be best for you to recover from shingles and to keep it from recurring.
(There is an article in the Breakspear Medical Bulletin Issue 18 Autumn 2008 which explains various shingle treatment methods in more detail.)
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