Holly Willoughby's return to the This Morning sofa will be delayed after the TV presenter revealed she has been struck down by shingles.
Taking to her Instagram story on Sunday, the 42-year-old wrote: “Hi, just to let you know, I may be away for the rest of the week as I have shingles. I’ll be back as soon as I’m better. Huge love."
Shingles is a painful infection affecting one in four adults in their lifetime. Also known as herpes zoster, the infection can cause a painful rash which can takes weeks to heal and disappear. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the virus that also causes chickenpox, with more than 90 per cent of the world's population having it.
After contracting chickenpox as a child, many are left with the virus which can lay dormant in the body's system for years. Around one in three of those who have the virus will experience shingles as the infection reactivates.
But what are the signs and symptoms, how is it treated and what should you do if you think you are infection take to pass? Here is everything you need to know.
What are the symptoms of shingles?
According the NHS, the signs of shingles can be:
- a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
- a headache or feeling generally unwell
- a red, blotchy rash - usually on your chest or your tummy, but can appear anywhere even your face and eyes
The rash will usually appear a few days after the initial signs of tingling and a headache, with the red blotches appearing on one side of the body only.
If the rash is on both your right and left side then it is unlikely to have been caused by shingles.
How is shingles treated?
You may need medication attention to help speed up recovery and avoid longer-lasting issues.
Contact your GP or call 111 as soon as you suspect shingles as medication may be required.
You can also help manage the infection at home by taking paracetamol to ease the pain of the rash.
It is also important to make sure the rash is clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection and wearing loose-fitting clothes. You can also use a cool compress a few times a day to help settle the rash and the pain.
How long does shingles usually last?
The rash caused by shingles can take up to four weeks to heal.
Your skin may be painful for some time even when the rash has gone, but this usually gets better over time.
Is shingles contagious?
You cannot spread shingles to others, however you people can catch chickenpox from a person with shingles if they have never had the illness before.
If you have shingles the NHS advises you to avoid certain groups of people, including:
- 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
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