Can shingles affect the spine?
These problems can be long-lasting or permanent. In rare cases, shingles can spread into the brain or spinal cord and cause serious complications such as stroke or meningitis (an infection of the membranes outside the brain and spinal cord).
What medications can trigger shingles?
These medications include ibuprofen or acetaminophen or weak opioids, such as codeine or tramadol. Stronger prescription opioid pain medication, such as hydrocodone, is used for the moderate to severe pain shingles can cause.
Can you have lower back pain with shingles?
Shingles is an infection of the spinal nerves by the herpes virus causing painful blisters on the skin of the affected dermatome. Patients may experience back pain in the lumbar spine preceding the outbreak of shingles. After the infection subsides, some patients may still experience chronic nerve pain.
Why is shingles bad for pregnancy?
Shingles, too, could potentially cause problems for your baby, but most experts agree the risk is less than with chickenpox. In one large study, there was no evidence of fetal harm in pregnant women who developed shingles.
Can pregnant nurses take care of patients with shingles?
Pregnant nurses may wish to avoid taking care of patients with active shingles or varicella zoster infections, as well as patients on airborne precautions. Pregnant nurses should be immunized against influenza; the vaccine is safe for women in all stages of pregnancy.
Is shingles contagious if there are no blisters?
If they get infected, they will develop chickenpox, not shingles. They could then develop shingles later in life. The risk of spreading VZV to others is low if you cover the shingles rash. People with shingles cannot spread the virus before their rash blisters appear or after the rash crusts.
Can you spread shingles to other parts of your body?
The virus travels in specific nerves, so you will often see shingles occur in a band on one side of the body. This band corresponds to the area where the nerve transmits signals. The shingles rash stays somewhat localized to an area; it does not spread over your whole body.
Do you have to isolate someone with shingles?
Stay away from certain groups of people if you have shingles You cannot spread shingles to others. But people who have not had chickenpox before could catch chickenpox from you.
Is coffee bad for shingles?
White blood cells are vital to helping fight off infection. Caffeine – Caffeine can be over-stimulating for the nervous system and can also be dehydrating, so it is best avoided in all its forms (i.e. coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks).