 | ||
 | ||
 | ||
Email
Glossary |
|
shingles Jul 1, 2001 Exactly what is it. How is it cured? How does one catch it? Is it contageious? |
|
 |
|||
|
|||
 |
|
Response from Dr. Feinberg
 Shingles results from reactivation of the chicken pox virus in your body. So to get shingles, you have to have had chicken pox in the past. Chicken pox is highly contagious, and if you have shingles and come into contact with people who have never had chicken pox, they can get chicken pox from their exposure to you. It cannot be cured, since the virus becomes inactive (latent) but remains in your body forever, like HIV does. The shingles virus can be controlled with medication, also like HIV. |
|
| |
Q&A TERMS OF USE
This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Review our complete terms of use and copyright notice.
