Everyone knows that the pain of childbirth is one of the best, but there is one pain that is even better, and that is the pain caused by shingles.
Many people may not know about shingles, but when it comes to "snake wrapping around the waist" and "loincloth dragon", they will suddenly realize that it is this terrible thing, and some people will think that they are "blisters" growing on the waist pole.
But in fact, they don't just appear on the waist, when they appear in other places, they need to be noticed.
First, the top pain of herpes zoster, more than 9 percent of the population is a potential patient
Herpes zoster is relatively common in winter and spring. It is caused by infection with the varicella-zoster virus, which causes abnormal blisters on the skin, but is essentially a neurological disorder.
Herpes zoster occurs along sensory nerves and appears as abnormal blisters, erythema, and significant pain on the skin. Among them, the chest and back are the most common, accounting for up to 55%, and abnormal blisters may also appear in the waist, neck and trigeminal nerve area.
Serological studies have shown that about 95% of the population tests positive for varicella-zoster virus antibodies. The viral infection manifests as chickenpox when it is young, but even if chickenpox is "cured", the virus is not completely eliminated, but lurks in the human ganglia, and when the body's resistance is weakened, it may cause shingles.
The most serious effect of shingles on the body is nerve damage, and after the rash recovers, there may also be herpes zoster neuralgia on the body, that is, pain that lasts for more than 1 month, which is a very complex neuropathic pain.
Zhang Yan, deputy chief physician of the pain department of Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital, said that the reason why shingles is so painful is related to the virus's neurophage. When the latent virus is activated, it can cause inflammation, edema, necrosis and significant neuralgia in the nerve area where it is located. The more severe the nerve damage, the more intense the pain.
Herpes zoster-induced neuralgia can reach up to 10 grades, and the pain is like a knife, an electric shock, a burn, and even if a feather scrapes the skin, it can be intensely painful.
The incidence of postherpetic neuralgia increases with age, with the proportion of postherpetic neuralgia increasing with age, about 65% of people > 60 years old, and 75% of people > 70 years old. About 30~50% of patients have pain that lasts for > 1 year, and even lasts for more than 10 years in severe cases, which has a great impact on the normal life of patients.
Second, the incidence of herpes zoster is high in spring, and the three groups of people should be especially careful
In spring, you have to be more vigilant against shingles. Xu Jingyu, from the Pain Department of Huaihe Hospital of Henan University, pointed out that the weather alternates between hot and cold in spring, and as the weather warms up, the time for outdoor activities will increase significantly, and the amount of pollen and dust in the air will also increase. At this time, if your physical fitness is poor, the herpes zoster virus latent in your body is likely to wait for an opportunity.
It is important to note that shingles is somewhat contagious, and a large amount of virus is present in the exudate of the herpes rupture on the skin. People who have weak immunity or have not been infected with the virus can become infected through direct contact.
Patients who are infected should avoid contact with people until the skin lesions have crusted over, especially unvaccinated children and pregnant women, and must be isolated.
Li Xin, the attending physician of the pain department of the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, said that these three types of people are susceptible to herpes zoster virus, and special attention should be paid to them in daily life.
1. People over 50 years old
Shingles can occur in people of any age, but older people > age 50 are more "favored" because as they age, the body's immunity gradually decreases and the risk of infection increases.
2. Patients with chronic diseases
Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease have much weaker immunity and a higher risk of infection.
3. People with weakened immune systems
People such as immunodeficiency and hematological tumors are more likely to develop herpes zoster, and the course of the disease is longer after the onset of the disease, and it is also more likely to recur.
3. If I have shingles, do I need to seek medical treatment?
Herpes zoster is self-limiting and generally non-life-threatening. However, if it spreads over a large area, appears on the head, or has low self-resistance, it may cause complications and the consequences are unacceptable.
In the early stage of herpes zoster, there will be local skin pain in the body, accompanied by small erythema and papule symptoms, once found, it is necessary to seek medical treatment within 72 hours, which can effectively reduce the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia and other complications.
In life, if you want to prevent the occurrence of herpes zoster, you should pay attention to strengthening your physique, and doing these 4 points can effectively improve the body's immunity and prevent herpes zoster.
1. Sleep well
A good night's sleep can allow all tissues and organs in the body to get enough rest, and the number of T cells responsible for immunity can also be restored, which can more effectively fight against viral invasion.
2. Eat a balanced diet
In terms of diet, we should pay attention to balanced nutrition, keep food intake as diverse as possible, and eat more vegetables and fruits, fish, shrimp, meat and eggs and other foods appropriately, which is good for enhancing immunity.
3. Keep moving
You can do 30~60 minutes of exercise every day, and accumulate 150~300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75~150 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week. Exercise should pay attention to long-term persistence, three days of fishing, two days of drying nets is difficult to play a good role.
4. Get vaccinated
It is recommended that people aged > 50 years old should be vaccinated against herpes zoster, which has a preventive effect of more than 90% after vaccination, and can also reduce the incidence and duration of postherpetic neuralgia.
No matter what the disease is, prevention is always better than cure. For shingles, we should pay enough attention to it, and seek medical attention in time if there are related symptoms.
Resources:
[1] "95% of people have this virus in their bodies!The season of "shingles" is coming", Life Times, 2021-11-12
[2] "Respiratory pain will hurt!How to prevent and treat herpes zoster in spring?", Service No. 2023-03-16, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University
[3] "Herpes zoster pain does not want to live?prevention and control tips, please put away the →", Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital, 2023-04-07
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