what are shingles? and are there any pictures of them that i can see?
94436
shin·gles    ( P )  (shngglz)\n\npl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)\n\nAn acute viral infection characterized by inflammation of the sensory ganglia of certain spinal or cranial nerves and the eruption of vesicles along the affected nerve path. It usually strikes only one side of the body and is often accompanied by severe neuralgia. Also called herpes zoster.\n\nPICTURES: http://images.google.com/images?q=shingles&hl=en
447540
For two years I had skin outbreaks on my upper back, both upper arms and upper chest and on the left side of my face. They were insanely itchy and ranged in size from a small spot to the size of a bread and butter plate. For two yrs this was diagnosed as shingles even though all the creams medications and treatments were not working. Ive recently now been diagnosed with Lupus. This skin irritation is Discoid Lupus. There is no cure and its horrible. Sometimes i will not go outside for weeks because the outbreaks look like some dreaded catchy disease and I can imagine what people would think. There could be many things this could be. Plz go see your doctor. Don't leave it n accept one opinion. It could be something quite serious and the earlier its diagnosed the quicker you can get the relevant treatment. Good Luck. Hope its just a minor little problem.
395805
well,as i know in almost all cases, shingles can and should be diagnosed by history and physical examination due to the fact that laboratory testing usually has no utility because most tests are time-consuming, lack specificity, or are unavailable.\nif you need that especially when acute diagnostic confirmation is desired so you can do:\n\n1-the direct immunofluorescence test with fluorescein-tagged antibody (DFA).\n2-polymerase chain reaction test (PCR).\n3-Tzanck smear (old test).\n4-Viral culture is another confirmatory option .\n\n*also, In cases of atypical lesions, skin biopsy may assist in the diagnosis.
1097189
From the patchwork pattern of scars it leaves behind and during an outbreak.  They look like roofing shingles laid end-to-end.  Shingles are related to Chicken Pox, which is also a form of the herpes virus... don't freak out, not THAT herpes.\nIt's the same as a cold sore.\nStress is primarily the main cause for outbreaks.  It is nerve pathways beneath the skin that become irritated and inflamed that the path follows.\nGet some Balsam of Myrrh and dab it onto the areas just before and during an outbreak... you'll feel the ache  a day or two "just before".  That lessens the duration of the outbreak and helps ease the discomfort.
537801
Yeah it could be shingles (herpes zoster). It is a viral infection of the nerve roots. It causes pain and a band of rash that spreads on one side of your body. Shingles is most common in older adults and people who have weakened immune systems because of stress, injury, certain medications, or other factors.
810305
Prodromal stage (before the rash appears)\n\nPain, burning, tickling, tingling, or numbness develops in the area around the affected nerves several days before a rash begins. The discomfort occurs on a single side of the body, commonly on the chest or back, but it may occur on the abdomen, head, face, neck, or one arm or leg. \nFlu-like symptoms (usually without a fever), such as chills, stomachache, or diarrhea, may develop just before or along with the start of the rash. \nSwelling and tenderness of the lymph nodes may occur. \nActive stage (rash and blisters appear)\n\nJust type in Shingles is your search engine
970034
Shingles is the lay term for reactivation of the Varicella zooster virus which is the same virus that causes chicken pox.\nVaricella zooster virus, after infecting a host, remain dormant in the nerves (dorsal root ganglion)\ngiven opportunity, the virus reactivtes and causes pain and vesicular rash that occupy a patch of skin supplied by that specific nerve (a dermatome) and does not cross the midline.\ntreatment should at least include:\n1. symptomatic relief.\n2. antivirals if severe, or if at anatomical important sites (e.g. face, eye)\n3. mx of secondary bacterial infection, if present.\n4. discussion relating to possible cause of reactivation\n5. check for if the virus is affecting other organs, and manage accordingly
539995
could be heat, dehydration,  Hard to tell with out seeing them.  If the rashes are itchy could be bug bites or poision Ivy.  When in doubt take em in.
1095148
Check the source. It has a few.\n\nAlso, try a Google image search for "diabetes skin." I found a lot of pictures that way. Maybe your search terms were too complicated.
84752
Yes, it is called Fifth's disease, because it is associated\nwith Measles, Mumps, rubella, and Chicken pox. Those are\n4 diseases and the fifth disease is called Fifth's disease. I am serious, this is not a joke. My son's Pediatrian told me that. My son had Fifth's disease. It is most\nsimilar to Chicken pox. You get the red bumps, and it is\ncontagious.  I have heard some people say that when you are an adult they call it shingles.... but I don't think that is quite the same thing.
1104798
You could get other illnesses when you get older.\n\nShingles\n\nHerpes zoster, colloquially known as shingles, is the reactivation of varicella zoster virus, leading to a crop of painful blisters over the area of a dermatome. In Italy and in Malta, it is sometimes referred to as St. Anthony's fire. It occurs very rarely in children and adults, but its incidence is high in the elderly (over 60), as well as in any age group of immunocompromised patients. It affects some 500,000 people per year in the United States. Treatment is generally with antiviral drugs such as aciclovir. Many patients develop a painful condition called postherpetic neuralgia which is often difficult to manage.\n\nIn some patients, herpes zoster can reactivate subclinically with pain in a dermatomal distribution without rash. This condition is known as zoster sine herpete and may be more complicated, affecting multiple levels of the nervous system and causing multiple cranial neuropathies, polyneuritis, myelitis, or aseptic meningitis.\n\nThe word herpes comes from the Greek word for snake; it is cognate with herpetology[1].
405289
Shingles virus is extremely contagious in early stage. You have to be very careful about anyone coming into contact with the sores until they scab over. Good handwashing is a must! See a doctor!!
60263
I'm a physician assistant and have an answer for you.\nShingles is a virus that is also a part of the chicken pox virus. When you are young you get chicken pox, when you are old you get shingles from the same virus. Unfortunately, your doctor is right, it can't be cured. It comes about in times of stress and is pretty painful. There is a medication called Acyclovir that can prevent the outbreaks before they get bad. Usually you begin taking the mediation when you feel an episode come on (tingling sensation or mild pain where the outbreak is going to occur) and it prevents the outbreak from progressing to a painful situation. If i were you, i would ask your doctor or Physician Assistant about Acyclovir. We prescribe it frequently for people with exactly the same problem. hope that helped!
949973
sounds like it could be neuro-related (nerves).  Do you have shingles or anything like that?  Also, do you have any vitamin defeciencies?  You should see a Dr. and let him check all of this out.  Good luck!
598664
OUCH!!!  Normally, your rash or skin ulcers will decrease before the pain goes away.  Shingles involve a virus that invades the entire nerve and can cause damage to the area that might come and go for a long time.  Let me also say, that Shingles can be picked up from children who have or have been innoculated for chicken pox; as it is the same kind of virus.  You can get shingles more than once; but, I can say from experience that once is enough for anyone.  God Bless!
576585
Many diseases have differnet strands. For example HPV has 16 that I know of (cause of cancer cells)  The family you talk about is kown as HSV -oral is HSV 1, genital HSV 2.  There are more as well in the herpes zoster family, shingles and chicken pox.  It is possible for you to get both since they are different strands at the same time but cases are rare (like 1% they say.)  There are test to see if you have both the HSV strands as well as others.
110044
Yes, and there is a high percentage of people in the US who have some form of herpes.  In a sense 90% of the population has some form of herpes if you want to take into consideration that cold sores, shingles, and chicken pox are all forms of the herpes virus.