Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

Both diseases are caused by the Varicella zoster virus, which is part of the group of herpes viruses. In fact, the virus remains in the body, even when the chickenpox has been cured. It remains dormant in the nerve cells and can either stay unnoticed forever or break out at some point as shingles.

People of all ages can be affected by this infectious disease. Symptoms of shingles include fatigue, exhaustion, fever, and possible gastrointestinal disorder. Only later, at the second phase, the patient will show a rash and the characteristic tiny blisters on the skin similar to the ones of the chickenpox.

These blisters dry out in the next phase and could create small wounds and perhaps even scars. Shingles could last up to three weeks. The shingles rash usually affects one side of your body, on the area where the affected nerves are located. In rare occasions the face and the eyes are affected as well, and in certain circumstances, the nerve pain lasts even after the disease has been cured. This is where special pain treatment helps, in addition to other medications with drugs. TENS therapy for example has a pain reducing effect and provides relief in a comfortable way without side effects.