ROCHESTER, Minn., May 23 (UPI) -- Anyone who has had chickenpox may be at risk of shingles -- common in adults age 60 to 80 -- in part because aging can affect the body's immunity.
Shingles is a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox and remains in a person's nerve tissue.
The June issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource recommends seeing a doctor immediately if shingles are suspected. The earliest warning signs and symptoms are a burning, tingling or numbness in the skin and a red rash that follows a nerve pathway around one side of the face or body.
Within a week, the rash turns into fluid-filled blisters. Even after the blisters dry up -- usually in one to two weeks -- pain can persist and be severe. In some cases, the blisters can become infected and cause skin scarring. Blisters near the eye can cause lasting damage or blindness. Other problems may include hearing loss or brief facial paralysis, the newsletter advises.
Although there is no cure, prompt treatment with anti-viral medications can reduce the disease's severity and complications.
