Home Care Service and Shingles
According to MedicineNet, shingles is a painful skin condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes initially causes chickenpox. Those who are older, especially those with compromised immune systems, are most at risk of shingles. It is estimated that nearly half of seniors will face shingles by the time they reach 80 years of age.
Although shingles is related to chicken pox, the two ailments are quite different. Shingles attacks only half of the body, but the rash that forms is severely debilitating. The pain is likened to searing hot needles being poked into the skin, non-stop, for weeks on end. Once the virus runs its course, typically two to four weeks, the
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The pain from the rash is so severe that it dramatically reduces their ability to complete many basic tasks around the house, including light housekeeping, laundry, cooking meals, and so forth. In more severe cases, even personal care such as bathing, grooming, and dressing may be affected.
Home care services may be required after the initial shingles attack has finished in cases where there are continuing sensations called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). With PHN, the shingles pain continues on even after the rash has gone. Sometimes, it continues for months or even years.
Surprisingly, based on the number of shingles cases reported each year, there is actually a shingles vaccine for seniors. While the vaccination is not 100 percent effective at preventing shingles, if shingles occurs after the immunization, the severity of the ailment is dramatically reduces. Sadly, the vaccination is only preventative and does not work once a person 's symptoms have started.
If your loved one has not yet had the shingles vaccination, it is highly recommended. After all, shingles is an awful debilitating ailment that is all but unnecessary to suffer from. Should your loved one not know where to start, home care services can help them arrange for their immunization. They can even provide the transportation to and from the