What Is Shingles And How Is It Treated

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Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

What Is Shingles? Shingles is a very painful disease caused by the same herpes virus that causes chicken pox (varicella zoster virus). Like other herpes viruses, the varicella-zoster virus has an initial infectious stage, (chicken pox) followed by a dormant stage. Then, with no warning, the virus becomes active again. About 20% of people who have had chicken pox will eventually develop shingles. This reactivation of the virus is most likely to...

Ask the Experts

What type of specialist treats shingles

About the middle of april 2011 i began itching under might right breast and pain. I thought i had cancer, went to a clinic and they had me get cat scan of my right side under breast spent about $300 in deductibles expenses for nothing. I went to a...

Response from Keith Henry, M.D.

University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

Shingles (herpes zoster)is often managed by primary care physicians. If there is severe post-herpetic pain (neuralgia) then often a neurologist (nerve specialist) or pain specialist might offer some assistance at achieveing pain relief. KH... Read more »

My 10 year old son has shingles or hiv???

My Son is 10 years old and has had shingles 8 times. He has finally had a panel of test taken and has tested possitive for HIV. What does Hiv have to do with the shingles and how can this be treated. We feel so left out in the dark. thanks...

Response from John L. Sullivan, M.D.

University of Massachusetts, Medical School

Shingles is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus which occurs most frequently in individuals with damaged immune systems; HIV damages the immune system resulting in an increased frequency of shingles; treatment of HIV infected children with triple... Read more »

Shingles & high viral load should I start HIV meds

Hi,I have a high viral load(400,000),CD4 at 359 and have reoccurring shingles.My viral load had been lower so I was not taking HIV meds.I am ready to take HIV meds but shingles recently broke out!Can I start HIV meds for high viral load and shingles...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

You could do both at the same time.MH... Read more »

Response from Graeme Moyle, M.D.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

The shingle vaccine, Zostavax, is approved for use in people 60 years old and older to prevent shingles. This is a one-time vaccination. Zostavax does not treat shingles or post-herpetic neuralgia. It has not been fully studied in persons with HIV.... Read more »

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shingles

Posted by LLsexyLL, 2 Replies

Does anyone know how to prevent getting shingles the second time. I had them Dec 2010 . Now my face has healed but I was told I can get them again.
Is there anyway of preventing getting shingles again? Read more »

Can I get Shingles from another Poz guy if I had ?

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

Can I get shingles from another poz person even if I already had them myself in the past??? Read more »

My sister is HIV+ and has shingles

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with HIV and shingles. She's been fighting the shingles now for about 5 months and they'll just start to go away and then come back again. She was very thin for a while, but looked really good and had... Read more »

Shingles

Posted by Anonymous, 3 Replies

Someone told me that shingles is one of the first indications of being HIV positive. I had shingles in 2002, and has felt fine since then. Although I do occassionally get dandruff. I had a dermatologist take a scalp sample and he said it was... Read more »

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