At some point in their lives, up to 20 percent of the population will be affected by shingles, which is officially known as herpes zoster and is caused by the varicella-zoster virus--the same virus that causes chickenpox.
For many people shingles is a temporary condition, which starts at a nerve root and moves to the skin, caus.
It attacks adults who had chickenpox as children but whose immune system has weakened due to aging, illness, drugs, radiation therapy, or physical or emotional stress.
At some point in their lives, up to 20 percent of the population will be affected by shingles, which is officially known as herpes zoster and is caused by the varicella-zoster virus--the same virus that causes chickenpox