Are there tests for shingles

If a person who has never had chickenpox makes direct contact with an open blister or something with the fluid on it, they can contract the virus and develop chickenpox. If you have shingles, you're contagious until the last blister has dried and scabbed over. To help prevent the virus being passed on, avoid sharing towels or flannels, swimming, or playing contact sports.

You should also avoid work or school if your rash is weeping oozing fluid and can't be covered. Chickenpox can be particularly dangerous for certain groups of people.

If you have shingles, avoid:. Although there's no cure for shingles, treatment is available to relieve the symptoms until the condition resolves. Most cases of shingles last around two to four weeks. Read more about treating shingles. Shingles can sometimes lead to complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia.

This is where severe nerve pain lasts for several months or more after the rash has gone. Complications such as this are usually in elderly people who have had the condition and those with a weakened immune system. Read more about the complications of shingles. It's not always possible to prevent shingles, but a vaccine called Zostavax can reduce your chances of developing the condition.

If you still develop shingles after having this vaccine, it may be milder and last for a shorter time than usual. Read more about shingles vaccination. This vaccine's now routinely offered in Scotland as a single injection to people aged Some cases of shingles can affect one of the eyes and are known as ophthalmic shingles.

This occurs when the virus is reactivated in part of the trigeminal nerve, a nerve that controls sensation and movement in your face.

An episode of shingles typically lasts around two to four weeks. The main symptoms are pain, followed by a rash. Any part of your body can be affected, including your face and eyes, although the chest and abdomen tummy are the most common areas where shingles develops. In some cases, shingles may cause some early prodromal symptoms that develop a few days before the painful rash first appears.

Not everyone will experience these prodromal symptoms. A high temperature is particularly uncommon. Eventually, most people with shingles experience a localised "band" of pain in the affected area. The pain can be a constant, dull or burning sensation and its intensity can vary from mild to severe.

Pain is less common in young healthy people and is rare in children. It usually starts a few days before the rash appears and can remain for a few days or weeks after the rash has healed. The shingles rash usually appears on one side of your body and develops on the area of skin related to the affected nerve. Initially, the shingles rash appears as red blotches on your skin before developing into itchy blisters similar in appearance to chickenpox.

Scabs then form where the blisters were, which may leave some slight scarring. It usually takes two to four weeks for the rash to heal completely. Shingles is not usually serious, but you should see your GP as soon as possible if you recognise the symptoms.

You should also see your GP if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system the body's natural defence system and you think you have been exposed to someone with chickenpox or shingles and haven't had chickenpox before.

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which is the virus that causes chickenpox. After you have had chickenpox , the varicella-zoster virus lies dormant inactive inside your body.

It can become reactivated at a later stage and cause shingles. It is not known exactly why the virus is reactivated, but it is linked to having lowered immunity protection against infection and diseases. Your immunity to illness and infection can become lowered if there is a problem with your immune system the body's natural defence system.

This can happen as a result of:. It is not possible to catch shingles from someone else with the condition, or from someone with chickenpox. However, it is possible for someone who has never had chickenpox to catch it from someone with shingles, as the shingles blisters contains the live virus.

In the UK, chickenpox is so common during childhood that 9 out of 10 adults have already had it and will not be at risk from someone with shingles. The blisters that develop as a result of shingles contain virus particles. If you have not had chickenpox before, you can catch it from direct contact with the fluid from the blisters of someone who has shingles, or from something that has the fluid on it, such as bed sheets or a towel.

If you have shingles, you are contagious until the last blister has scabbed over. This will usually occur after about 10 to 14 days. If you have the shingles rash, do not share towels or flannels, go swimming, or play contact sports. This will help prevent the virus being passed on to someone who has not had chickenpox.

You should also avoid work or school if your rash is weeping oozing fluid and cannot be covered. Once your blisters have dried and scabbed over, you are no longer contagious and will not need to avoid anyone. Your doctor may also take a tissue scraping or culture of the blisters for examination in the laboratory.

There's no cure for shingles, but prompt treatment with prescription antiviral drugs can speed healing and reduce your risk of complications. These medications include:. Shingles generally lasts between two and six weeks. Most people get shingles only once, but it is possible to get it two or more times. Taking a cool bath or using cool, wet compresses on your blisters may help relieve the itching and pain.

And, if possible, try to reduce the amount of stress in your life. Some people have such mild symptoms of shingles that they don't seek medical treatment. At the other extreme, severe symptoms may result in a visit to the emergency room. Preparing a list of questions ahead of time will help you make the most of your limited time with your doctor. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For shingles, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:.

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask any additional questions that occur to you during your appointment. Symptoms of the two diseases are similar and include: Red, blistering rash.

Chickenpox rashes often appear all over the body and are usually very itchy. Shingles sometimes appear in just one area and are often painful. Fever Headache Sore throat You may also need this test if you are in a high-risk group and were recently exposed to chickenpox or shingles.

What happens during chickenpox and shingles testing? Both types of tests are quick, usually taking less than five minutes. Will I need to do anything to prepare for the test? You don't any special preparations for a blood or blister test. Are there any risks to the test? What do the results mean?

Is there anything else I need to know about chickenpox and shingles tests? Atlanta: U. Cleveland OH : Cleveland Clinic; c Chickenpox: Overview; [cited Oct 23]; [about 3 screens]. Shingles: Overview; [cited Oct 23]; [about 3 screens].

Chickenpox; [updated Nov 3; cited Oct 23]; [about 2 screens]. Shingles; [updated Sep 5; cited Oct 23]; [about 2 screens]. Shingles; [cited Oct 23]; [about 2 screens]. Washington D. Chickenpox and Shingles Tests; [updated Jul 24; cited Oct 23]; [about 2 screens].

Chickenpox; [updated May; cited Oct 23]; [about 2 screens]. It is caused by a virus. Shingles triggers a painful rash or small blisters on an area of skin.

It can appear anywhere on the body, but it typically appears on only one side of the face or body. Burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching are early signs of the infection. Even after the rash is gone, the pain can continue for months, even years. The symptoms of shingles may look like other medical conditions or problems. Always talk with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Your healthcare provider will do a complete physical exam and ask about your medical history, specifically about whether you have ever had chickenpox.

Your healthcare provider will likely know right away that it is shingles based on the unique rash. The rash usually appears one area on one side of the body or face. It appears as red spots, small fluid- or pus-filled vesicles, or scabs. Specific treatment for shingles will be determined by your healthcare provider based on:. There is no cure for shingles. It simply has to run its course. Treatment focuses on pain relief. Painkillers may help relieve some of the pain.

Antiviral drugs may help lessen some of the symptoms and reduce nerve damage. Other treatments may include:.