Identifying and Treating Shingles on Your Leg and Groin
If you have a collection of blisters or rashes on your skin, it’s a sign of shingles. While shingles often appear as a band on your torso (one side), you can face an outbreak anywhere on the body, and your groin and leg are no exception.
In fact, a case report from 2011 found that the face and trunk are two of the most common areas that face shingles outbreaks. While people do face penile shingles, cases are rare. It is worth noting that shingles are often itchy and painful, regardless of where they form on your body.
That is why it is crucial to seek professional medical assistance and contact expert skincare physician Dr. Elizabeth Pensler before it becomes a serious problem. Usually, medical professionals treat shingles with antiviral drugs to clear them up within weeks.
As a shingles outbreak has a typically distinctive appearance, you can differentiate it from rashes that stem from allergy. Let’s delve into details and learn more about identifying and treating shingles on your leg and groin.
What Causes Shingles
Shingles are the result of a virus called the varicella-zoster. The same virus is also responsible for causing chickenpox. That means if you have had chickenpox, you might be at higher risk of catching the virus again or developing shingles. We say this because the virus lays dormant in the body for a long time after chickenpox is gone.
The virus typically goes after your nerve cells and follows the nerve line. That is why it looks like or appears as a collection of blisters. The large nerves extending from the spine down the legs target the virus. This, as a result, causes rashes on your groin or one side of the leg.
How to Identify Shingles on Your Groin and Leg
Though a discolored rash or blistering is the most visible sign of shingles, they don’t appear first. It starts with tingling and pain underneath your skin before a rash appears on your skin. In many cases, the pain caused by shingles persists with no blister or rash developing.
Then after a few days, a fluid-filled blister appears. Some of them turn crusty or burst open. The rash can be sensitive or itchy to the touch.
Some more symptoms to identify shingles may include;
How to Treat Shingles
Antiviral drugs, such as acyclovir (Sitavig, Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), and valaciclovir (Valtrex), can fight the infection quickly. It may help you lower symptoms of a blister or rash, especially if it starts early. The drugs help you prevent further shingles complications.
To reduce the shingles pain, an expert doctor like Dr. Pensler may prescribe:
- Capsaicin topical patch
- Numbing agents
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Corticosteroid injection to reduce inflammation
When You Should Call Dr. Pensler
If you feel itching without any visible signs or suspect shingles, call Dr. Pensler. She will get you started on effective antiviral medicines to reduce the chances of complications that may include postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
Some rare complications are:
- Brain inflammation
- Hearing problems
- Pneumonia
- Death
Summing Up
A blistering rash appears on the leg and groin and is particularly a viral infection that needs antiviral medication for proper treatment. If you feel pain in a specific area of the leg or groin and develop a rash, it is probably shingles. It is better to call your doctor to start the treatment before it worsens.
For information on orthopedic hip & knee health & surgery please visit www.drhill.com
For information on vein & vascular health please visit www.drpensler.com
For information on face & body health please visit www.elizabethmedspa.com
For information on fitness & injury rehabilitation please visit www.bmbfitnesssolutions.com
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