Index
1. What is shingles pain?
2. Prognosis of the disease
3. Symptoms
4. Medical tests
5. Causes
6. Can it be prevented?
7. Treatments
8. Which specialist treats it?
What is herpes pain?
Herpes pain is a discomfort generated by the presence of viruses that cause different diseases. For example, the herpes simplex virus causes common herpes, while the Epstein-Barr virus causes mononucleosis, and the varicella virus causes shingles.
Herpes zoster or shingles is a virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox – that lodges in the glands and remains latent for some time and when the carrier is over 60 years of age, it can reactivate, causing a painful rash on the skin.
The pain caused by herpes zoster is due to a disease produced by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus in childhood. After this disease has passed, the virus remains latent and reactivates on specific occasions and in areas such as the face, neck, back, hands….. When it breaks out again, herpes appears, affecting the peripheral nerves and the skin, causing pain, itching and reddening of the skin, where small vesicles or painful blisters are generated, grouped in the territory of a nerve. In this phase of the outbreak the lesions are very contagious, later the vesicles dry up and form scabs that sometimes can leave scars. The main sequela is herpes pain after the disease (postherpetic neuralgia), as residual pain may remain for months or years.
The Epstein-Barr virus is a virus that causes mononucleosis, a disease that causes fever, aches, sore throat or extreme fatigue.
Herpes simplex consists of a series of blisters that cause pain, itching or burning in the genital area or on the face.
Prognosis of the disease
In general we are facing a disease that can make life difficult for the patient, since sometimes the signs and symptoms of the disease caused by herpes can hinder the patient’s daily life.
Symptoms of herpes pain
- Herpes simplex: Symptoms of herpes simplex include:
- Burning when trying to urinate
- Difficulty going to the bathroom, as the sores may block the bladder.
- Pain in the genital area
- Itching
- Fever
- Chills
- Feeling of fatigue
- Pain
- Epstein-Barr virus: although mostly asymptomatic, some symptoms are:
- Pharyngitis
- Fatigue
- Mononucleosis
- Malaise
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Rash
In rare cases, Guillain-Barré syndrome, meningitis or encephalitis may develop.
Effects of shingles
- Shingles or shingles
- Postherpetic neuralgia is the most common complication, causing severe pain that usually improves within weeks or months. However, there are cases of people who suffer from the pain for years and must learn to live with it.
- Pain
- Paresthesias
- In the acute phase, the pain may be triggered by a simple rubbing.
Medical tests for shingles pain
The diagnosis of shingles is usually clinical. However, there are some tests to diagnose shingles.
Some tests that can diagnose it are a biopsy, virus culture, hepatologic study and Tzanck’s cytodiagnosis.
In the case of Epstein-Barr virus, which causes infectious mononucleosis, it is a simple disease to diagnose.
In the case of herpes simplex, in order to know if the patient has it, a herpes screening test must be performed, since, like all STDs, it must be tested. The diagnostic test consists of taking a sample of the sores and analyzing them.
What are the causes of herpes pain?
The causes of herpes pain originate from an infection of the patient with the herpes virus. In the case of herpes simplex, it is contracted through sexual intercourse. The Epstein-Barr virus is transmitted through saliva, which is why mononucleosis is known as the kissing disease. In the case of herpes zoster or shingles, this is not contagious but can appear in anyone who has had chickenpox, although special emphasis should be placed on those who:
- Have immune system diseases
- Have certain types of cancer
- Have received an organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressants.
Can herpes pain be prevented?
The only way to prevent herpes pain is to avoid infection with the virus.
Once infected, herpes may or may not manifest itself and may remain latent in the patient’s body for several years. For example, shingles is latent from the time the patient has chickenpox, and common shingles may remain in the patient’s body for a lifetime but without showing any symptoms.
Treatments for shingles pain
In the case of herpes simplex, it should be noted that it has no specific cure, but symptoms and infections can be controlled. With medications and drugs, outbreaks can be controlled and their occurrence prevented.
Herpes zoster or shingles do not have a specific cure, although antivirals can control the outbreak and prevent the onset of postherpetic neuralgia.
Treatment of Epstein-Barr virus and therefore of mononucleosis consists mainly of rest and relief of discomfort, as well as the symptoms of fever and sore throat. At the same time, physical activity should be avoided to prevent possible inflammation in the arm.
Which specialist treats shingles pain?
The specialist in charge of treating and resolving shingles pain is the pain unit specialist.