A physician can often diagnose a shingles rash by physical examination. However, a physician may perform tests for confirmation (e.g., Tzank smear). Most cases of shingles go away without treatment. A physician may recommend some treatments to alleviate symptoms.
Anyone with VZV can potentially have an outbreak, making shingles impossible to prevent once the virus is in the body. People who have been vaccinated or who have never had chickenpox cannot develop shingles but may develop chickenpox following exposure to VZV. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), about 20 percent of people exposed to VZV develop shingles, with most of these outbreaks being relatively mild and without recurrence.About shingles
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person has had chickenpox, VZV remains in a dormant (inactive) state in the nerve roots for the remainder of their life. VZV may re-activate itself years later in the form of a painful skin rash known as shingles. About 500,000 cases of shingles are reported annually in the United States, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. About 20 percent of patients who have had chickenpox will develop shingles in their lifetime.
A rash usually appears about two to three days after VZV has become active in the nerves and reached the skin of the affected area. Why VZV emerges from dormancy is unknown, though it may occur in relation to a number of factors (e.g., stress, impaired immune system). The rash consists of small red blisters (vesicles) that resemble the early stages of chickenpox. It may spread over the next three to five days to include a larger area of the body.
