What is herpes zoster? How long will it take to recover?

Herpes zoster, commonly known as "waist-wrapped fire pill" and "waist-wrapped snake", can occur all year round. Although the symptoms are on the skin, they are actually nervous system diseases.

You may not know much about herpes zoster, but when it comes to chickenpox, everyone should have heard of it. Herpes zoster and varicella are both caused by the same virus, namely varicella-zoster virus.

Chickenpox-herpes zoster virus "lurks" in adults who have had chickenpox, usually lurking in the heel ganglion of spinal cord or sensory ganglion of cranial nerve. When the adult's resistance drops, the virus can be "activated" again, which can cause herpes zoster.

First, the typical symptoms of herpes zoster:

The clinical manifestations are clustered blisters, which are distributed in strips along one side of the body, accompanied by obvious neuralgia and local lymphadenopathy. The blisters on the skin of patients with herpes zoster develop rapidly and have severe pain, like a snake wrapped around the body. Patients with serious illness have a large area of skin damage and serious injuries, which are easy to cause panic.

1, cluster rash:

Clusters of papular herpes and blisters are distributed in strips along the area innervated by unilateral nerve, and do not cross the midline of the body to the opposite side. The blister will scab later, which usually takes 7~ 14 days. All rashes usually subside within 2-4 weeks. After the rash subsides, temporary pale erythema, pigmentation or scar may appear.

2, nerve pain:

Herpes zoster is often accompanied by neuralgia, which can appear before eruption, during eruption and after skin lesions heal, but generally disappears after the skin lesions completely subside or within 1 month, and the duration of neuralgia in a few patients exceeds 1 month.

Be alert! Patients with active herpes zoster can transmit the virus to others.

Second, what are the characteristics of herpes zoster?

Old and young people will get sick, especially adults, and the symptoms are more serious;

It can occur all year round, mostly in spring and autumn and wet days;

Herpes can occur anywhere in the human body, with trunk and face being the most common.

The onset is accompanied by pain, and some patients will continue to suffer from herpes scab.

Blisters and skin lesions are mostly distributed along a peripheral nerve, which occurs in a band on one side of the body and does not exceed the midline of the body.

Three, the following categories of people should pay special attention to beware of herpes zoster:

1, people with low immunity: including the elderly, overworked people and people with chronic diseases, in addition to the natural factor of aging, young and middle-aged people usually work hard and stay up late for a long time, which will also lead to low immunity and make the virus take advantage of it;

2. Patients with certain diseases: mainly include some malignant tumors, such as lymphoma, leukemia and immune system diseases, such as lupus erythematosus, heart disease, diabetes, tuberculosis and AIDS. In addition, people who have undergone organ transplantation have a relatively high probability of suffering from herpes zoster;

3. People who have had chickenpox are more likely to get this disease;

4. Users of certain drugs: mainly including those who take immunosuppressants and steroid hormones for a long time;

5. Trauma or mental trauma: including all kinds of trauma, burns, poisoning patients and some people with long-term mental depression and depression.

What should I do if herpes zoster occurs?

Be sure to seek medical attention in time, and try to keep the infected area clean, dry and exposed to the air (don't cover it with clothes). Don't scratch the blisters. If you can't sleep because of the pain, try to wrap the part with a neat and clean elastic bandage.

Some patients may have blisters, blood blisters and even erosion, but don't be nervous. If treated properly, it can be cured in about 10 days, and it will not recur after general treatment.

Take more rest, give a digestible diet and drink plenty of water. Diet, avoid greasy food, seafood, eggs, try not to eat poultry, eat some light food.