Shingles Research
Shingles is a condition in which severe pain develops from an itching skin infection that forms from clusters of blisters containing fluids. It is an infection from the same virus that causes chicken pox, and shingles is caused by a reactivated virus that may occur when the immune system breaks down from another disease such as AIDS or cancer. Shingles is not a serious disease since it usually clears up after several days; however, it is severely painful even to the lightest touch.
The condition may be difficult for a diagnosis before the blisters begin. The pain begins on one side only and also, depending upon the nerves involved, the pain could be similar to a gall stone or kidney stone. Most treatment is for pain relief since no drug will eliminate the virus once the disease starts. Under a doctor's care drugs are available to sometimes shorten the duration and relieve pain, but most of the time the disease runs its course until the blisters disappear along with the symptoms.
