[decimon]

Ping

[OCCASparky]

I had an attack of shingles a few years ago. Whole side looked and felt like hell for about 3 months. Doc told me I was lucky, that I only had a “mild” case. Hate to have a severe case.

[RedStateRocker]

My dad had 43 years in the army including purple hearts from wars 1 and 2. One *tough* ol’ guy.
He told me that *nothing*, not a German bayonett or hot shrapnel, hurt like the shingles. Nothing.

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping...

...vaccine to prevent shingles, available to older adults since 2006, can cut the likelihood of a shingles attack in half. However, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, only a small percentage of older people receive the shot, principally because of cost, lack of insurance reimbursement and shortage of supply.

First I'd heard of this...maybe I'm not alone.

[MarkL]

Shingles is incredibly painful. It is the adult onset of chickenpox, after you had chickenpox. The virus never actually leaves your body: It just goes dormant. Interestingly enough, you can't "catch" shingles, however if you have never had chickenpox, you CAN catch that from someone who's got shingles! In fact, the fluid in the blisters is teaming with the chickenpox herpes virus, and it's extremely contagious. Which is why anyone who have never had chickenpox should stay away from someone with Shingles.

When the virus goes dormant, it collects in the fibers that surround the nerves. If the virus "wakes up" it becomes shingles and inflames the fibers that surround the nerves, which is why it's so painful. Common treatments for the pain include anti-depressive medications (which changes the way your nervous system works) and topical creams with capcaisin (as in pepper spray!)

The worst possible outbreak of shingles one can have is when the virus migrates to the optic nerve, and can cause permanent blindness. And the pain can be so bad, for so long, that some people are known to have committed suicide because of the pain.

Mark

[redhead]

I had shingles in my eyes in MN a few years ago. Still have a scar on one cornea.