Shingles is an infection that occurs in people who have been exposed to the chickenpox virus—the varicella-zoster virus. When a person gets chickenpox, no matter how old he is at the time or how many decades have gone by since he’s had chickenpox, that virus continues to live in his body. It stays dormant until one day; it reactivates and causes shingles.
What are the Symptoms of Shingles
Because it lays dormant for so many years and it’s not known what will cause it to reactivate, many people ignore or are confused by the initial symptoms. They may think it’s a bug bite or burn but as it develops, shingles have some common symptoms that most victims will experience.
Shingles are usually located on one side of the body and affect a connected area. The most common place for it to occur is on either the right or left side of the torso, around one eye, or one side of the neck.
At the sight of the shingles outbreak, your loved one may have:
- Itching that’s painful to scratch
- Burning or tingling pain
- Sensitivity to touch
- After the initial pain and itching, a rash may develop
- Fluid-filled blisters that crack open and crust over
Your loved one may also experience these symptoms while dealing with the rash:
- Light sensitivity
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Fever
Many have described the pain of shingles as extremely intense, perhaps like no other pain they have ever felt. It can stop your elderly loved one from wanting to participate in events. Since it is also contagious, your loved one should isolate himself from anyone who hasn’t had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine.
How Your In-Home Care Provider Can Help Your Loved One Manage the Symptoms of Shingles
If your elderly loved one does develop shingles, his in-home care provider can help him manage the pain and discomfort while the symptoms persist. Most shingles symptoms last anywhere from three to five weeks and will slowly lessen.
While he waits for relief, his in-home care provider may help with these at-home treatments:
Using calamine lotion.Oftentimes, the blisters will wrap around the torso, making it difficult for your loved one to apply lotion on the affected areas. Calamine lotion can bring relief from itchiness, pain, and discomfort. It’s important to remember to not apply calamine lotion to any active blisters so if your loved one cannot see the rash well, his in-home care provider will help to check on the blisters before applying the lotion.
Taking a colloidal oatmeal bath.Colloidal oatmeal is not the oatmeal your loved one enjoys for breakfast. Colloidal oatmeal can be found in the health and beauty areas of stores and is comprised of ground oatmeal that contains fats, minerals, and proteins that’ll help soothe skin. Your in-home care provider can help by drawing up an oatmeal bath for your loved one to soak in for relief.
Wearing loose clothing.Now is not the time for anything that will cinch the area of the rash, as this will cause great pain. Clothes that float around the rash will be best.
Applying cold compresses.With a gentle touch, a cold compress from an in-home care provider can bring relief to irritated areas.
In the end, the best cure is prevention with the help of in-home care. If your loved one has not received the shingles vaccination yet, he should get one as soon as possible to reduce his risk of developing it.
If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Care in Peoria, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings! for Seniors Companion Care today. Call (623) 594-0819
Blessings! for Seniors Companion Care is a top provider of home care services in Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye, Glendale, Peoria, Litchfield Park, Sun City, Sun City West, Tolleson, Phoenix, Youngtown, Surprise, and surrounding areas.
