What should not be eaten with herpes zoster?

Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
Updated on September 18, 2024
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Patients with herpes zoster need to pay close attention to their diet. Firstly, they should avoid overly greasy and overly spicy foods. Seafood and barbecue should also be avoided as much as possible. Smoking and drinking alcohol are prohibited. Secondly, patients with herpes zoster generally have lower immunity and weaker constitutions. Therefore, it is recommended to eat more soy products, or foods rich in protein, such as fish and lean meat. It is also necessary to consume plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, and eat foods that are easy to digest. Lastly, patients with herpes zoster should try to eat fewer acidic foods, such as spinach, carbonated drinks, and other beverages that contain additives.

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Written by Li Ya Ping
Dermatology Department
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initial symptoms of herpes zoster

Shingles initially may manifest in some people with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, or poor appetite, followed by pain on the affected side, typically unilateral skin pain. The pain can be dull, but there may also be a burning sensation or stabbing pain, characteristic of unilateral neuralgia. However, some patients experience both rash and pain simultaneously. For those who experience pain before the rash appears, diagnosing shingles can be difficult early on, as the neuralgia is present without any rash. Generally, within a few days, usually no longer than a week, erythema can occur in the area of the neuralgia. Subsequently, numerous vesicles emerge on the erythema, often clustering in a band-like distribution and typically limited to one side of the body.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Is shingles contagious?

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Therefore, shingles is contagious to people, especially children, who have never been infected with the virus. The virus is primarily transmitted through the respiratory tract. Thus, it is recommended that if someone in the household contracts shingles, particularly in households with children, it is crucial to avoid close contact and to implement appropriate isolation measures. It is also important to keep windows open for ventilation to prevent transmitting the virus to children, who may develop chickenpox, or to some adults who may also be susceptible to chickenpox if they have never been infected with the virus before.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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How long should shingles be isolated?

The contagious period of shingles is about two weeks, so it is advisable to isolate for two to three weeks. Shingles typically occurs in people with weakened immune systems and is mainly caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The primary symptoms are red blister clusters on the skin that follow nerve pathways, accompanied by significant pain. Treatment primarily focuses on antiviral medication, nourishing the nerves, and relieving pain. Generally, within two to three weeks, the rash can crust over and shed, at which point it is no longer contagious, and isolation is no longer necessary.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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How long is the incubation period for herpes zoster?

Shingles is a common dermatological disease primarily caused by the varicella-zoster virus. Shingles has an incubation period, but the duration is uncertain, generally ranging from 3 to 20 days. The reason the incubation period for shingles is variable is that after being infected with the varicella-zoster virus, it accumulates in the nerves of the spinal cord and does not exhibit any symptoms physiologically. The virus only begins to proliferate rapidly and triggers the disease when the body's resistance decreases, or in the event of an infection, a cold, or fatigue.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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How long does it generally take for herpes zoster to heal?

Most patients, if they do not develop complications from shingles, generally recover within two to four weeks. However, many patients who do develop related complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia, motor paralysis, or gastrointestinal or urinary tract diseases from shingles, have an uncertain recovery time. It could be several weeks, months, or even years. Therefore, once shingles occur, it is essential to seek timely medical treatment at a formal hospital and pay attention to enhancing one's immunity.