Shingles is a painful condition characterized by the eruption of blisters on the skin. This condition is caused by the varicella zoster virus. This virus is responsible for causing chickenpox among people and after recovering from the disease the virus tends to remain within the body for the rest of life. When the immunity of a person is adversely affected it can result in development of shingles. Any person who has had chicken pox would have a greater risk of developing shingles and so people might wonder, is shingles contagious?

Shingles is also considered to be chickenpox disease revisiting. When a person having the varicella zoster virus is under stress or when his immunity is compromised it can cause the shingles disease to surface. People wondering, is shingles contagious should get complete information about this condition. The symptoms associated with this disease include fever and persistent headache.

People suffering from shingles may experience decline in energy levels and problems with the digestive system may also be observed. Patients may experience sudden chills along with itching of the body. The blisters develop in a band or belt like formation from the spine to the chest areas and this can help the doctor in identifying the condition.

A person wondering is shingles contagious needs to understand that this is not entirely or fully a contagious disease. The varicella zoster virus can be transmitted from one person to another through direct contact with the wounds, blisters or rashes of the person having the shingles disease. A healthy person cannot get shingles if informal contact is made with someone suffering from shingles.

Likewise a person wondering is shingles contagious needs to understand that this infection cannot be transmitted if a person suffering from shingles sneezes or coughs. Shingles becomes particularly contagious when the blisters have clear fluid and when the blisters have not crusted over. During this stage the patient should be careful and should cover the blisters so as to prevent the disease from spreading. It is advisable to strictly follow the treatment regime prescribed by the doctor. Patients should also avoid sunlight exposure. Shingles cannot pass through the air.

A person can get the shingles vaccine so as to avoid any future outbreaks. It is important to understand that this condition can spread from infected individuals to adults or children who have not suffered from chicken pox. So it is advisable for those having weak immune system to stay away from individuals suffering from shingles.