Herpes Zoster

Herpes zoster is a condition that is most common in people over the age of 50. It can be characterized by a number of symptoms, including a rash and pain. The condition is caused by a reinfection with the same virus that causes chickenpox. Therefore, people who have had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine are at risk of developing this condition. While there is no cure, there are several antiviral drugs than can help reduce the length and severity of the illness.

 

What Is Herpes Zoster?

Herpes zoster (also known as shingles) is a condition caused by a reinfection with the varicella-zoster virus. The varicella-zoster virus that causes herpes zoster is the same virus that causes chickenpox. The infection with this virus tends to occur during different decades of a person's life.
 
Herpes zoster is not contagious. Therefore, a person who comes in contact with an infected person will not develop it. Even though the condition is not contagious, contact with a person with herpes zoster can cause chickenpox in someone who has never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine.
 
(Click Cause for Herpes Zoster to learn more about the varicella-zoster virus and how it reactivates to cause herpes zoster.)
 

Risk Factors

Herpes zoster is most common in people over the age of 50. However, anyone who has had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine is at risk of developing it. This disease is also more common in people with weakened immune systems from HIV infection (or AIDS), chemotherapy or radiation treatment, transplant operations (such as a kidney transplant or stem cell transplant), and stress.
 

What Are the Symptoms?

The symptoms a person experiences will vary. For some people, the symptoms can be very mild; for others (especially older adults), symptoms can be debilitating. There is no way to predict who will develop herpes zoster symptoms, how severe they will be, or whether a person will develop complications.
 
Two of the most common symptoms of herpes zoster are pain and a rash.
 
(Click Herpes Zoster Symptoms to learn more about the specific symptoms of this condition, including specific early symptoms.)
 

Making a Herpes Zoster Diagnosis

Before making a diagnosis, the healthcare provider will ask a number of questions and perform a physical exam to look for signs and symptoms of this condition.
 
A typical case of herpes zoster is easy to diagnose. The doctor might suspect it if:
 
  • The rash is on only one side of the body
  • The rash erupts along one of the many nerve paths, called dermatomes, that stem from the spine.
     
The doctor usually confirms a diagnosis of herpes zoster if the person also:
 

 

(Click Diagnosing Herpes Zoster for more information.)

 

Treatment

The treatment your healthcare provider recommends will depend on several factors, including the severity of symptoms, when the symptoms started, and whether complications occur.
 
Treatment options may include:
 
  • Antiviral medicines and pain relievers
  • Other medicines to treat complications such as postherpetic neuralgia
  • Temporary changes in your lifestyle.
     
(Click Treatment for Herpes Zoster to learn more about specific treatment for this condition, including how antivirals can help if given early enough.)
 

Is There a Cure?

Just as there is no cure for chickenpox, there is no cure for herpes zoster. There are, however, herpes zoster medicines (known as antivirals) that can shorten the length and severity of the condition. There is also a vaccine that can prevent it in the future.
 
(Click Herpes Zoster Cure for more information about antivirals and the vaccine.)
 

Complications of Herpes Zoster

For the majority of healthy individuals, herpes zoster runs its course without leading to any complications. Usually the lesions heal; the pain subsides within three to five weeks; and, for most patients, the blisters leave no scars.
 
While this is the normal course for most people with symptoms of herpes zoster, it is possible for complications to occur. Some possible complications include:
 
(Click Shingles Complications for more information about these specific complications.)
 

Herpes Zoster and Pregnancy

Herpes zoster during pregnancy is rare, but it is possible for a pregnant woman to develop it. Treatment for herpes zoster during pregnancy is similar to treatment for women who are not pregnant.
 
(Click Herpes Zoster During Pregnancy for more information, including information about pediatric herpes zoster.)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD