![]() While there is no cure for shingles, there are treatments out there that can be done at home or prescribed by your doctor to speed up recovery and ease symptoms. These general rules are to be on the safe side though, as it's usually direct contact with the rash that passes the virus on." Is there a treatment for shingles? "If you're pregnant and haven't had chickenpox, you should avoid anyone with shingles too. As a report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (opens in new tab) explains, if a person who has never had chickenpox is exposed to the open blister or something that has fluid on it, they won't have the antibodies to counteract the virus and can develop chickenpox.įor this reason, "if you have a weakened immune system, it's best to avoid someone with shingles," Dr Wild explains. This is because the blisters that form contain the live virus. "However, if you haven't had chickenpox before, you can catch it from someone with shingles." You can't catch it from someone with the condition or from someone who has chickenpox, Dr Wild says. Strictly speaking, shingles itself is not contagious. How long shingles lasts depends on the individual, but Dr Wild tells us it usually lasts around three to five weeks. "Your skin may be painful or uncomfortable after the rash has gone, however, this usually settles over time," she adds. Whether that's having a bath, listening to relaxing music, practicing sleep-guided meditations or doing some gentle bedtime yoga. ![]() Pay particular attention to your bedtime routine around this time and make sure you have lots of wind-down time planned. "It can really help you to relax before bed and improve your sleep." To help combat this tiredness, she recommends building relaxation techniques into your daily routine. If you are still experiencing symptoms after this time, visit your doctor," Dr Wild adds. ![]() "They'll most likely be gone within four weeks. The tiredness and general feelings of weakness shouldn't last too long though. "We often find that a person was unwell or overtired, or had an operation or even a bereavement, and this stress or exhaustion occurred before shingles appeared." ![]() This weakening of the immune system happens due to a whole number of reasons, Marian Nicholson, director of Shingles Support Society (opens in new tab) says. Usually, the virus lies dormant and doesn't cause any problems but if your immune system, which normally protects your body against infection, is weakened then the virus can become active again and cause shingles," she says. "Shingles is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus, but normally only in one nerve root. ![]()
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