*****   8th September 2023:   

All the staff are kind and helpful. They are invested in making the right choice for their patients. Incredible service. Hats off to them. 

 

Never ignore a painful rash, it just might be shingles

The first signs of shingles can be:

• a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
• a headache or feeling generally unwell
• a rash that appears a few days later.

Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals.  The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on one side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.

If you think you might have shingles, call 111 and they will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

You might need medicine to help speed up your recovery and avoid longer-lasting problems and this works best if taken within three days of your symptoms starting.

Self help for shingles:

• keep the rash clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection

• wear loose-fitting clothing

• use a cool compress (a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel or a wet cloth) a few times a day

• do not let dressings or plasters stick to the rash

• do not use antibiotic cream – this slows healing

  It can take up to four weeks for the rash to heal and your skin can be painful for weeks after the rash has gone, but it usually gets better over time. 

  You cannot spread shingles to others, however people who have not had chickenpox before, could catch chickenpox from you. This is because shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus.

  Try to avoid:

• pregnant people who have not had chickenpox before
• people with a weakened immune system – like someone having chemotherapy
• babies less than 1 month old – unless you gave birth to them, as your baby should be protected from the virus by your immune system

A shingles vaccine is available on the NHS for people in their 70s. It helps reduce the risk of getting shingles but if you do get shingles after being vaccinated, the symptoms can be much milder.

Ask at surgery reception for further information about the shingles vaccine.