Complications from shingles in the elderly can lead to serious, long-term health problems. They range from bacterial skin infections that can cause scarring and narcotizing fasciitis to hearing and vision loss, encephalitis, transverse myelitis, peripheral motor neuropathy, and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Can shingles cause death in the elderly?

For adults who are otherwise fairly healthy, shingles is not life threatening, though it can be quite uncomfortable. However, when left untreated, shingles may cause complications. For certain people — such as those over the age of 65 or whose immune systems are compromised — these complications could lead to death.

How long does shingles last in the elderly?

Shingles typically lasts about 2 to 6 weeks. The blisters usually start to crust over after a week or so, but the itching and pain can continue for a few more weeks. The sooner you begin treatment with an antiviral medication, the faster the rash and other symptoms will start to dissipate.

Can shingles be life threatening?

Shingles isn’t a life-threatening condition, but it can be very painful. Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles. Early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications.

What is the most painful stage of shingles?

Typically, the peak pain of shingles is felt within 4 or 5 days after the first symptoms develop, and it comes along with a blistering rash. As the blisters scab over, the pain usually starts to disappear. In some cases, the pain does not go away. This is known as a condition called postherpetic neuralgia.

Has anyone died from shingles?

Very rarely, shingles can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death. For about one person in five, severe pain can continue even after the rash clears up.

When should you go to hospital with shingles?

See your doctor or go to an urgent care facility if the following conditions develop: Pain, redness, or rash (with or without blisters) on the face, especially if near the eye(s) Shingles patients who develop a high fever or feel sick. If the blisters continue spreading to other areas of the body.

What organs can be affected by shingles?

Body systems that can be affected include the eyes, nervous system, lungs, liver, and brain. Internal shingles can cause symptoms such as persistent pain, fever, cough, abdominal pain, and headache. When shingles affects internal organs, it’s a serious complication that requires urgent medical attention.

How painful is shingles on a scale of 1 to 10?

“ Shingles is extremely painful, said Bolling. “On a scale from one to 10, most patients will say the pain ranges from six to 10.” Between one and five days after the first symptoms occur, a rash will develop in the affected area.

Why do seniors get shingles?

The cause of shingles in the elderly is a virus called varicella-zoster. Chickenpox and shingles are both caused by this virus. After you have chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years after recovering from chickenpox, it can reactivate and cause shingles.

What triggers a shingles outbreak?

Shingles is triggered by a weakened or compromised immune system. Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a virus infection that causes painful rashes on the body, usually on one side of your torso. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.

What is the mortality rate of shingles?

Mortality rate from disseminated herpes zoster is between 5% and 15%.

How long does it take to get over shingles?

New blisters may appear for up to a week, but a few days after appearing they become yellowish in colour, flatten and dry out. Scabs then form where the blisters were, which may leave some slight scarring. It usually takes two to four weeks for the rash to heal completely.

What are the final stages of shingles?

The 4 stages of shingles and how the condition progresses

• The stages of shingles are tingling pain, followed by a burning feeling and a red rash, then blistering, and finally the blisters will crust over.
• You will typically develop a rash about 1-5 days after you feel numbness or tingling pain.

Does your back hurt 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.

What is the best pain relief for shingles?

For shingles pain, start with NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You can find these over the counter on pharmacy store shelves, and they include popular medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol).