Sarpa Suttu: What Causes It and How Do You Treat This Condition?

Sarpa suttu is medically known as herpes zoster or shingles. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for causing chickenpox. Once you have had chickenpox, the illness symptoms fade away but the virus remains in your body. After decades, the virus may get reactivated causing shingles or sarpa suttu [1]. This is a viral infection characterized by painful skin rashes or watery blisters on your skin. It usually occurs on one side of the body and subsides within 7 to 10 days.

The risk of herpes zoster or sarpa suttu increases as you age. In fact, half of the cases occur in those above the age of 50. It develops in about 10% of people who previously had chickenpox [2]. An Indian cross-sectional study on 84 patients with a mean age of 30 years reported most cases in the upper age of 21-30 years [3].

Shingles do not have any cure but there are certain sarpa suttu treatment options that you should know. Read on to learn more.

Additional Read: Eczema : Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Sarpa suttu symptoms 

Some of its symptoms include the following: 

• Fever 
• Chills 
• Headache
• Exhaustion
• Fatigue
• Redness on skin
• Shooting pain
• Upset stomach
• Tiredness
• Light sensitivity
• Raised rashes
• Fluid-filled blisters
• Mild to severe pain
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Blurred vision
• Itching and irritation
• Throbbing pain in the eye
• Constant eye-watering
• Tingling or burning sensation
• Soreness or numbness in the affected skin area
• Mild to severe pain in the area of skin affected

While there is no cure for sarpa suttu, treatment can reduce the risk of further complications. So, get yourself checked by a medical practitioner if you experience any of the above symptoms.

Sarpa suttu complications

Sarpa suttu causes 

When you first encounter the varicella-zoster virus, it causes chickenpox. It is quite common among children but may occur in adults too. Once the chickenpox fades away, the virus stays in the nerve tissues near the spinal cord and brain. Although the reason is not clear, the virus may reactivate years later causing herpes zoster.

Here are some risk factors that make you prone to sarpa suttu.  

• History of chickenpox during young age 
• An age of 50 years or more 
• Malnutrition 
• Stress and trauma 
• A weak immune system
• Serious physical injury
• Diseases like cancer and AIDS
• Irregular sleeping pattern
• Recovering from illnesses including cold and flu
• Medicines or steroids that weaken the immune system

People who have never had chickenpox can also contract this virus. They remain contagious or spread the virus until the sores crust. If you have these illness symptoms, avoid visiting pregnant women, babies, people who have not been vaccinated, or those with weak immunity.

Sarpa suttu treatment 

Although there is no cure for it, your physician may prescribe several medications to lower the symptoms and reduce the risk of further complications.  

• Antiviral medications such as acyclovir, famciclovir, and valacyclovir 

(With these, you can stop the symptoms at once, especially if you take them within the first 3 days. They may also prevent postherpetic neuralgia, the pain that occurs months or years post-infection.) 

• OTC pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen 
• Other pain treatments include anticonvulsant medicines like gabapentin, antidepressants like amitriptyline, cool compresses, medicated lotion, prescription painkillers including codeine, numbing medications like lidocaine, and colloidal oatmeal baths 
• Antibiotics to prevent infection and reduce stinging
• Antibacterial drugs to reduce bacterial infection caused by sarpa suttu rashes
• Anti-inflammatory drugs such as prednisone if it affects your eyes or other facial parts

Additional Read: Blisters Treatments

You usually get sarpa suttu only once in a lifetime, but it can occur again in people who have a weak immune system. Therefore, it is vital for you to take precautions to prevent skin, physical, and mental health disorders. To start prioritizing your health, book an online appointment on Bajaj Finserv Health as soon as you notice any symptoms and get doctor consultation from the comfort of your home.