Description
Herpes Zoster is caused by varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes the chickenpox. The virus remains dormant in the spinal cord region, and is usually activated in immunocompromised patients or under a lot of stress. The virus usually occurs in adults, especially over the age of 50. The virus causes localized vesicular skin lesions confined to one side of the body and causes severe pain to the affected nerves.
Symptoms
- Fever and discomfort
- Numbness and tingling
- Within 2-4 days severe pain
- Itching
- Numbness
- Hypersensitivity
- Sharp stabbing pain
- Red skin lesions on one side of the body
Treatment
The pain of Shingles usually does not respond to customary pain medications. Often, the patient will be given an anti-viral medication to shorten the duration, and anti-depressant medications or anti-seizure medications to decrease the nerve pain. Often this is not enough to control the pain of shingles as it is usually a very intense pain. If the pain is not resolved with medication, Shingles may be treated with injection therapy directly to the area where the virus lies. The use of injections, such as epidural steroid injections, often helps reduce the severe pain caused by shingles and decreases the duration of the virus. Quick and aggressive treatment of shingles often prevents it from becoming a long term problem.
- Anti-viral medication
- Anti-depressant
- Anti-seizure medications
- Epidural steroid injections
The Dr. Carrasco Show : Held Hostage
He is a prisoner to an incurable, progressive condition that affected his nerves for the past 51 years, at a very young age, he was infected by the virus that causes chicken pox, forty year later, the virus has returned and caused so much pain to his face that he was falsely admitted to a nursing home, his sister can’t stand to see Louis this way. “I took him out of there.”
Desperate to give him his life back, she took him to Dr. Carrasco who accepted the difficult challenge or putting their lives back in order.
