Herpes zoster, commonly known as "waist wrapped dragon", is associated with pain when people hear its name. Today, let's talk about how to correctly understand herpes zoster.
What causes herpes zoster?
Acute infectious skin disease caused by secondary infection of varicella zoster virus belongs to a type of varicella virus. It can occur in all seasons, and is common in winter and spring.
What are the symptoms of herpes zoster virus infection and what are the common sites of onset?
Herpes zoster is a painful rash often accompanied by blisters. The lesions are arranged in a band like pattern along a certain peripheral nerve area, often occurring on one side of the body and generally not exceeding the midline. The course of the disease usually lasts 2-3 weeks, and for elderly people it lasts 3-4 weeks. Neuralgia can occur before, during, and after the rash has healed. The nature of pain is diverse, such as burning sensation, needle like sensation, knife like sensation, electric shock like sensation, tightness sensation, etc. It is mostly paroxysmal or persistent. Elderly and frail patients experience more severe pain. Other symptoms include anxiety, depression, lack of concentration, insomnia, fatigue, anorexia, etc. In extremely rare cases, herpes zoster infection can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, meningitis (encephalitis), or death. In the acute phase, varicella zoster virus can be transmitted through contact or respiratory tract. After the skin lesions form scabs, the virus becomes inactive and no longer infectious.
Pain is commonly felt in the chest (50%), head, face, neck, and waist (10% -20% each), sacrum (2% -8%), and other areas (less than 1%).
3. Which groups of people are susceptible to infection?
The varicella zoster virus enters the bloodstream through the respiratory mucosa to form viremia, leading to chickenpox or latent infection. After the recovery of chickenpox disease, the virus remains dormant in the posterior root ganglia of the spinal cord or the sensory ganglia of the cranial nerves for a long time. When the immune system is weakened due to certain stimuli such as trauma, fatigue, malignant tumors, post illness weakness, or immunosuppressive therapy, the virus is activated and travels down the sensory nerve axis to the skin in the area innervated by the nerve, producing blisters. The affected nerve becomes inflamed, necrotic, and experiences neuropathic pain. The following groups are susceptible: elderly people, chronic disease patients, and people who are tired, stressed, or traumatized.
How to prevent and treat herpes zoster virus infection?
Vaccination is the most economical, effective, and convenient way to prevent herpes zoster disease. If suspected early symptoms of herpes zoster are found, seek medical treatment within 72 hours.
① Drug therapy
The preferred antiviral drugs for herpes zoster are acyclovir and famciclovir; For herpes zoster neuralgia, first-line drugs include ion channel modulators (pregabalin, gabapentin, etc.), antidepressants (amitriptyline, duloxetine, etc.), and 5% lidocaine patches, while second-line drugs include opioids and tramadol.
② Minimally invasive intervention therapy
Choose when drug efficacy is insufficient. Minimally invasive intervention therapy includes nerve intervention techniques and nerve regulation techniques. Neurointerventional techniques include nerve block, selective nerve destruction, and intrathecal drug infusion therapy. Neuromodulation techniques include pulsed radiofrequency therapy and neural electrical stimulation therapy. In addition, acupuncture treatment, ozone therapy, and other treatments also have certain effects.
How to take preventive measures in daily life?
① Maintain good sleep: The simplest way to enhance immunity is to maintain good sleep. T cells in the body are responsible for combating viruses. Without sufficient sleep, the number of T cells will decrease, immune function will decline, and the probability of illness will increase.
② Pay attention to diet and exercise regularly: have a reasonable diet, balanced nutrition, enhance resistance, develop good habits of daily exercise, and improve physical fitness.
③ Try to avoid chickenpox: People who have had chickenpox are more likely to develop shingles, so be careful to avoid contact with chickenpox patients.
I hope everyone can take precautions in their daily lives, enhance their immunity, and avoid the pain of shingles. If you suffer from shingles, it is important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible.