Shingles is a medical condition that forms after coming in contact with the virus that causes chickenpox. The virus stays in the body forever and can reappear as shingles at anytime. Once this happens, you will experience severe pain in the nerves and an itchy rash on the skin. While shingles can occur nearly anywhere on the body, it is most commonly found on the side of the chest or abdomen. There is no cure for this disease that affects approximately one million people every year, but it is still possible to make your life a lot easier. These are six easy ways to live a normal life with shingles.
Look Out for the Warning Signs
Anyone that had chickenpox can get shingles, but people with weak immune systems are at a much higher risk of developing the disease. Advanced age, cancer and diabetes are just a few of the things that can weaken the body’s immune system. It is vitally important for these people to look out for the early signs of shingles. The disease will generally start causing a burning or numbing sensation on one side of the body. You may also start to feel sick around this time too.
Seek Immediate Medical Care
Once you start to experience the early symptoms of shingles, it is time to seek medical care. There is no cure for shingles, but quick treatment can shorten the life of the disease. Proper medical care can alleviate your symptoms in as little as three weeks. The doctor will prescribe you an antiviral drug to fight the infection. You may also get another prescription to help with the pain.
Soothe the Skin
The blisters and rashes will remain on your skin until the virus is completely eliminated. Taking steps to soothe the skin will help control your problematic symptoms. The best way to do this is by regularly applying a shingles cream to the affected areas of the skin. This topical cream will reduce the itching and pain caused by your rash. Taking a bath in oatmeal and using cold compresses will also help soothe the skin. Use these soothing items as much as possible until your skin returns to normal.
Perform Minor Exercises
The shingles virus takes a huge toll on the body, so you will likely start to feel rather weak near the end of your treatment plan. Light exercising has been proven to be extremely beneficial when suffering from shingles. It will help give you some much needed strength while also relaxing the mind. The best exercises to perform while living with shingles are walking, yoga and tai chi.
Rest and Avoid Stress
Stress is known to dramatically impact the overall health of your body including weakening the immune system. Since the shingles virus is already attacking your immune system, this is the last thing you want to happen. The stress will prevent the body from properly fighting the virus while also increasing the pain you experience on a daily basis. This makes it vitally important to avoid as much stress as possible when living with shingles. The best ways to reduce your stress are getting plenty of rest, performing your favorite hobbies and talking with your friends or family.
Wear Loose Clothing
The skin is going to be extremely tender and sensitive while living with shingles. Since it is hard to soothe the skin when you are away from the house, you need to find another way to reduce your pain. One of the best ways to do this is by wearing loose clothing everywhere you go. Tight clothing will rub against your blisters and rashes all day, which will only aggravate your problematic symptoms. This will not happen when wearing loose clothing. If you work in an office with a strict dress code, then you may need inform your boss of your condition.
