What are shingles? (not the roofing kind, the disease)?

My sisters friend came over to spend the night and she had 4 or 5 large bumps on her back and complained that they itched. She went to the doctor today and my sister called me and said her friend had Shingles....what are they? The last time I heard about Shingles was on Oregon Trail in elem school! (along with polio, etc) How do you get Shingles? Is it contagious? I'm really worried that my sister shouldn't stay there overnight because I don't want her to catch it too.... How do you cure it?

Public Comments

1. Shingles is like chicken pox underneath the skin. If you want to look up shingles further, I recommened going to wikipedia.org. They have information on almost everything.
2. Shingles Also called: Herpes zoster, Postherpetic neuralgia Shingles is a disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus - the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you have chickenpox, the virus stays in your body. It may not cause problems for many years. As you get older, the virus may reappear as shingles. Unlike chickenpox, you can't catch shingles from someone who has it. Early signs of shingles include burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching, usually on one side of the body or face. The pain can be mild to severe. Blisters then form and last from one to 14 days. If shingles appears on your face, it may affect your vision or hearing. The pain of shingles may last for weeks, months or even years after the blisters have healed. There is no cure for shingles. Early treatment with medicines that fight the virus may help. These medicines may also help prevent lingering pain. A vaccine may prevent shingles or lessen its effects. The vaccine is for people 60 or over who have had chickenpox but who have not had shingles.
3. Shingles are caused by different things, sometimes it a work environment, I do not believe that shingles are contagious, but it wouldn't hurt to take some precautions around your friend. Shingles is a disease of the skin, it causes severe itching and red marks tht take the appearance over time of roofing shingles (hence the name) there is no cure
4. Google Search Shingles. Or wikipedia it. It's a very painful condition, it can take people out of jobs and school very easily.
5. Shingles are contagious. They come from the same virus as the chicken pox. There's really not much you can do to cure it, the doctor probably gave her some medication for the itching and/or pain, and told her to avoid any unnecessary contact with people. I'm not sure if you can get them after having chicken pox or not so I can't even tell you that your sister would be fine as long as she's had the chicken pox. Whether she stays over night or not is your decision, I'm not sure I'd let my sister/brother stay. Hope this helps. :-)
6. shingles/ is /a latent form /of chicken pox/ adults get it/red /raised areas/ very painful/ follows/ the nerve pathways/ meds /need /to /be gotten/ from Dr /to apply/sometimes /pain /is /so severe/ Dr /has /to prescribe /pain pills
7. Shingles are not contagious. You cannot get Shingles from someone who has them but they can give you Chicken Pox. When you get Chicken Pox the Virus stays in your body forever. It can become activated by stress, or believe it or not - wind at any time in your life after that in the form of Shingles. You cannot die from Shingles itself but it weakens your body and if you have a bad enough case you may die from a weak heart after the Shingles clear up. There are some medications that a doctor can prescribe if you get Shingles. Don't forget that you cannot get Shingles unless you have had Chicken Pox. There is no absolute cure. Once you have had Shingles it comes and goes. Most times after the first time it is mild.
8. Go to Web M.D.There is an excellent article on Shingles..I think it will put your mind at ease..
9. No its not contagious, but they are like sores and they hurt like really bad, but you can go to the doctor and they will give you something to cure it up before they can get any worse