Is it possible to wash with herpes zoster: how does water affect the disease? When can a patient with herpes zoster bathe and shower?

“Can I bathe if I have herpes zoster?” - This question worries many people suffering from the disease. This is due to the fact that during the illness the skin is severely affected, the person experiences pain when touching the inflamed areas and tries in every way to alleviate his condition.

This article will discuss how water affects the course of the disease and whether it is possible to take water procedures for shingles.

Herpes zoster or herpes zoster is a viral disease caused by the herpes virus – Varicella zoster. This disease affects skin cells. The rashes are mainly localized on the face, genitals, back and abdomen.

The disease manifests itself in the form of the unilateral appearance of erythematous (reddish) papules filled with serous contents. Over time, the blisters dry out, forming yellowish crusts, which fall off after a couple of days, leaving behind weakly pigmented areas of the skin.

The affected areas of the skin are painful, itching and burning are observed on their surface. This is due to the fact that the Zoster virus attacks neurons - nerve cells.

Penetrating and adapting, it can be stored in them for a long time, and under conditions favorable for relapse, it leads to an inflammatory process in those areas of the skin where damage to the nerve roots of the spinal cord occurred. This is mainly the skin on the lower part of the patient’s torso.

Is it possible to wash yourself if you have herpes zoster?

Herpes zoster is a viral dermatosis that manifests itself in people weakened by severe diseases, with immunodeficiency, and taking antitumor and hormonal drugs.

To a greater extent, the disease occurs in adulthood. The condition for the occurrence of viral skin lesions is chickenpox in childhood.

Recurrence of childhood infection manifests itself in the form of nerve damage and the appearance of a linear, grouped rash.

As the disease progresses, the blisters open, the surface becomes covered with erosions and ulcers that dry out into crusts.

Any weeping dermatosis, including herpes zoster, excludes water procedures.

In the acute process, as well as during exacerbations in the case of recurrent herpes, the following is excluded:

taking a shared bath;
taking a shower;
visiting a bathhouse, swimming pool, sauna;
swimming in any body of water.

In addition to the fact that you cannot wash if you have shingles, any procedures that involve rubbing the area of the rash are prohibited.

Almost any patient needs to decide on washing the body for hygienic reasons, even during treatment.

The severity of herpes zoster and the stage of the infectious process should be taken into account. Depending on this, the attending physician determines a list of acceptable hygienic interventions.

Recommendations on how to avoid getting infected

Since anyone can become infected with the virus even during a normal walk, preventive measures are designed to prevent its activation. The main ways to avoid the development of the disease:

have a good rest;
include sufficient amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the diet;
harden;
treat all diseases in a timely manner;
minimize contact with people who have an open form of the disease.

Preventing the development of shingles is easier than treating it. To do this, you need to follow basic preventive measures.

To avoid becoming infected with shingles, you should not use the patient’s personal belongings, dishes and hygiene products. It is better for the infected person to be in a separate room.

How does water affect disease?

Water procedures during treatment of shingles can lead to a worsening of the viral infection. This is explained as follows:

Herpes zoster rash blisters contain large numbers of viral particles. Washing the body or other water manipulations will spread herpes viruses to surrounding areas of the skin.
If you swim with shingles in a swimming pool or pond, you create a high risk of infection in the affected areas. In addition, temperature changes can lead to aggravation of the process against the background of a reduced immune response. Chlorinated water can cause severe irritation.
Slowing down the processes of keratinization and epithelization due to untimely water procedures will lead to impaired healing of the areas.
Stimulation of skin receptors with water will provoke an increase in pain.

The skin is well equipped with a neuroreceptor apparatus. Any external effect to one degree or another leads to a certain effect on the body and on the course of dermatosis.

In addition to the above, taking a bath or shower with a fever against the background of shingles also leads to complications.

Bathing an elderly man with herpes

Infecting an elderly person with the herpes virus creates great difficulties. It is more difficult to bathe a patient due to the fact that older people have a harder time with this pathology. The herpes zoster virus often affects people who have undergone chemotherapy. An elderly person with cancer is not always able to take a shower on his own. Therefore, doctors advise doing wet wipes to such patients. To do this, you will need a basin with warm water and a washing gel (preferably without dyes) to avoid an allergic reaction. You can use liquid soap for children.

Shingles requires long-term treatment, so waiting until it goes away to wash is unhygienic. Before taking water treatments, consult your doctor.

Add a little detergent to warm water, wet the cloth and rub the patient with light movements. However, do not touch the shingles area. If you need to clean the infected area, take a small piece of gauze and treat the pimples without tearing off the scab. If the elderly person is able to shower on his own, cover the affected area with a bandage. Keep in mind that even with the most careful bathing, you will not be able to completely protect yourself from water getting into the infected area.

Therefore, discuss with your doctors whether it is possible to wet the rashes or whether you should refrain from water procedures for some time. Even if herpes acne has crusted over and the patient is recovering, washing too thoroughly can cause the wounds to open and the itching and pain to return. In some cases, daily showering provokes further rashes throughout the body.

When can you bathe after shingles?

Questions about resuming water procedures after illness should be discussed with your doctor and the recommendations strictly followed. Visits to baths, saunas and other thermal procedures are postponed for 6 months.

For the body to fully recover, it takes time for the viral infection to enter an inactive phase.

The pool should not be visited for six months after recovery. Exposure to different temperatures and cold water can provoke an exacerbation of the disease.

Patients are concerned about the time frame after recovery, when they can wash after herpes zoster and resume hygiene procedures 5 days after the scabs fall off.

It is at this time that the patient ceases to be infectious and release the virus into the environment.

If you have herpes zoster at the convalescence stage, you should wash in the bathroom or take a shower in a gentle manner.

The water should not be hot, and instead of a washcloth it is better to use a cotton mitten.

conclusions

Unlike other types of shingles, you can wash yourself if you have shingles. This is due to the fact that its causative agent is a virus, not a fungus.

For reference. However, when washing, you need to follow a number of rules: limit yourself to a shower, do not rub with a washcloth, and minimize mechanical impact on sore spots.

In the later stages of the disease, in consultation with your doctor, you can take medicinal baths with extracts of medicinal plants. But it is better to avoid sunbathing and swimming at sea and in freshwater bodies - this can lead to adverse consequences.

How to wash with herpes zoster

At the stage of intensive progress of a herpetic rash, to prevent the addition of a bacterial infection, wiping is carried out using antiseptic agents.

Treatment of the skin with antiseptics is performed in the direction from the periphery to the sites of rashes. For this purpose the following are used:

boric alcohol 3%;
salicylic alcohol 1%;
70% ethyl alcohol;
Miramistin;
Chlorhexidine.

The skin around the blisters is treated at a distance of 5-7 cm. The remaining areas of the body, away from the main lesions, are wiped with soap and warm water.

If shingles is localized only to the upper half of the body, the lower half can be washed in the shower if there is no fever and the disease is mild.

Bed and underwear should be changed strictly when soiled, but at least once a week in order to prevent bacterial complications.

Areas of herpetic rashes should be kept clean, since bandages are not indicated for this dermatosis.

At the stage of regression of the rash, when the crusts fall off, you are allowed to take a warm bath or shower. It is not recommended to rub the area where there were rashes with a washcloth.

A neutral shower gel is suitable for washing the body. You need to dry yourself with blotting movements using a clean and soft towel.

During the recovery stage, areas with healing rashes can be cleaned using lotions with herbal decoctions.

For this purpose, tricolor violet herb, horsetail, burdock roots, sage leaves, chamomile and string are used.

The decoction must be prepared daily; reuse is not allowed. For lotions, you should use pharmaceutical gauze.

Swimming with herpes zoster, as well as after recovery, in natural bodies of water (rivers, lakes) is prohibited.

It is allowed to resume swimming no earlier than six months later and only during the swimming season.

Then the water will be warm, which will eliminate sudden temperature changes. Preference should be given to seaside resorts with clean coastlines.

Author: infectious disease doctor Natalya Aleksandrovna Kulikovskaya

Swimming in the river for lichen

Shingles has 3 types. Hemorrhagic herpes manifests itself as rashes in the form of blisters with bloody content. Lichen bullosa is characterized by large rashes with jagged edges. The abortive appearance is manifested by the absence of acne and severe pain. This is a mild form in which you can take water treatments. However, swimming in a river or sea is prohibited for any type of pathology.

Elderly people with herpes zoster are recommended to wipe with a sponge moistened with warm water and soap. In this case, you should not wet the affected areas of the skin.

A patient with herpes zoster is advised to rest throughout the entire period of the illness. If left untreated, complications may occur in the form of damage to the liver, lungs, brain and spinal cord. Therefore, the patient is prescribed complex treatment. After shingles, pink marks remain at the site of the rash for some time, but such a person is no longer contagious. Over time, the scars disappear or take on the color of the skin.

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How to distinguish this disease from other types of rash?

Shingles manifests itself in symptoms quite similar to other rashes - the only difference that indicates that this particular form of pathology is occurring is the localization of vesicles along the nerve column affected by the virus. It is also worth remembering that the disease itself is generalized in its course, affecting most of the body with rashes; the symptoms of the disease themselves show themselves more intensely, in comparison with other dermatoses or psoriasis. In all other respects, there are no special clinical differences in herpes zoster and other forms of rashes. Therefore, only a doctor can give his clinical opinion, based on the results of laboratory tests and medical history.

Initial manifestations

photo shingles
It is worth having not only knowledge of whether shingles is contagious or not, how shingles is transmitted and how many days shingles is contagious, but also to be able to recognize the clinical manifestations of the disease.

The entire period of the disease is divided into several phases, each of which has its own symptoms.

During the initial contact of the body with the third type of herpesvirus, chickenpox develops, after which the virus remains forever in the human body and only waits for a suitable “decline” of protective forces.

Therefore, the time from the first infection to the appearance of clear clinical manifestations can take decades.

The table shows the typical course of the disease. However, there are a large number of atypical forms that cause great inconvenience: abortive, bullous, disseminated and generalized.

In addition to the usual clinical forms, there is a gangliocutaneous form, herpes zoster affecting only the mucous membranes, ophthalmoherpes, an ear form and others.

Is herpes transmitted?

Yes, patients also remain infectious to the people around them.

Incubation period

The incubation period of the herpes virus is between 13-17 days. Initially, the patient experiences the first symptoms, and after a few days a rash appears. In children, blisters and increased body temperature occur simultaneously. It is during this period of time that the patient is considered the most contagious; doctors recommend completely eliminating contact with healthy people.

The danger of the disease lies in the fact that the virus attacks the nerve endings. With out-of-date treatment, the patient experiences innervation of many nerves, and vision and hearing temporarily deteriorate. In severe cases, paralysis and postherpetic neuralgia occur. In this case, therapy is extended over a long period of time (at least 12 months).

Causes

Shingles is a recurring viral infectious disease that occurs and subsequently develops in the human body as a result of internal causes.

The reason for its appearance is the restoration of the virus, the vital activity of which was in a latent form. The virus was in the body of the sick person for the second time, after the primary infection in childhood, if the child caught the herpes virus type 3, namely chickenpox. After which the pathogen could easily, for a long time, persist (constantly remain, reside) in the human body. And under the influence of various provoking factors, it was able to activate.

Let's consider several reasons that contribute to the manifestation of herpes zoster due to the inability of the immune system to resist pathogens of infectious diseases. Decreased immunity may be due to:

long-term stressful situation;
organ transplantation;
old age;
blood disease;
overwork;
overheating;
hypothermia;
serious injuries;
chemotherapy for cancer;
diabetes mellitus;
taking hormonal medications;
AIDS.

How does water affect shingles and should patients bathe?