If you have a medical background and know about diagnosing Shingles' through blood lab results...(please view)
395805
well,as i know in almost all cases, shingles can and should be diagnosed by history and physical examination due to the fact that laboratory testing usually has no utility because most tests are time-consuming, lack specificity, or are unavailable.\nif you need that especially when acute diagnostic confirmation is desired so you can do:\n\n1-the direct immunofluorescence test with fluorescein-tagged antibody (DFA).\n2-polymerase chain reaction test (PCR).\n3-Tzanck smear (old test).\n4-Viral culture is another confirmatory option .\n\n*also, In cases of atypical lesions, skin biopsy may assist in the diagnosis.
601246
Try the link below. It has some answers for you.\nhttp://www.medinfo.co.uk/conditions/shingles.html
632413
If your shingles aren't severe you could, but shingles can be very devastating and debilitating at times.  I would think you would want to get them cleared up prior to your surgery....just in case.  Allergic reactions of any kind would certainly be a consideration not to mention just your discomfort level of one situation and adding to the the discomfort.
60279
They get a blood sample. Their computers/scientists can detect traces of HIV in your blood. It's just a virus. They can actually see it taking over.
598664
OUCH!!!  Normally, your rash or skin ulcers will decrease before the pain goes away.  Shingles involve a virus that invades the entire nerve and can cause damage to the area that might come and go for a long time.  Let me also say, that Shingles can be picked up from children who have or have been innoculated for chicken pox; as it is the same kind of virus.  You can get shingles more than once; but, I can say from experience that once is enough for anyone.  God Bless!
235319
Do they itch and/or hurt? Do they run in a straight line on just one side of the body? Have you ever had chicken pox? If you answered yes to these three questions, odds are it's shingles. But you can always get a second opinion from another doctor.
386363
shingles are the adult form of the chicken pox. The herpes virus goes to "sleep" after your original bout with the "pox" and lies dormant along the spinal column, a trigger of some kind, normally stress on the body, illness,malnutrition,surgery ,wakes them up and they travel the nerve endings to the skin. They start as a rash that girdles the trunk then makes its way over the limbs.This very painful eruptions feel like pricks of a hot needle, causing high fever and is very contagious!Even death has accrued from shingles.There are oral medications to help with secondary infection and pain killers for the neuralgia(nerve pain).
781959
The IgG test is looking for antibodies in the blood to HSV-2.  It does take time for the antibodies to develop following the first infection with the virus. I do not know if it 6-8wks, I am assuming that this is what the doctor told her.  It is possible that she was negative previously.  Example: a woman presents with her first outbreak of genital herpes.  culture of the genital blisters confirms the presence of herpes, but her blood test does not show any IgG antibodies yet, but will in the future.  So, if your friend was known to be negative HSV-2 IgG around 6-8 wks ago and now is positive it is a recent infection. I would be wary of using her services.  most herpes infections are transmitted when no lesions are present and condoms do not protect from herpes.
213172
When the virus that causes chickenpox reactivates, it causes shingles. Early symptoms of shingles include headache, sensitivity to light, and flu-like symptoms without a fever. You may then feel itching, tingling, or extreme pain in the area where a rash is developing. Several days later, a belt-shaped or bandlike rash appears. This band of pain and rash is the clearest sign of shingles.The rash caused by shingles is more painful than itchy. The nerve roots that supply sensation to your skin run in pathways on each side of your body. When the virus becomes reactivated, it travels up the nerve roots to the bandlike area of skin supplied by those specific nerve roots. This is why the rash appears on only one side of your body, usually the chest or back, and sometimes on your face around one eye. It is possible to develop more than one bandlike rash on your body with shingles.You may reduce the duration and pain of shingles by:\n\nTaking good care of skin sores, such as not scratching blisters and keeping your skin clean. \nUsing medications as prescribed to treat shingles or postherpetic neuralgia, which is pain that lasts for at least 30 days after the shingles rash heals. \nUsing nonprescription pain medications, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain during an attack of shingles or ongoing pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia. Call your health professional immediately if :\n\nAny sign of shingles develops (such as pain or changes in vision) that affects your forehead, nose, eye, or eyelid. \nAny symptoms of shingles develop (such as headache, stiff neck, dizziness, weakness, hearing loss, or changes in your thinking and reasoning abilities) that affect your central nervous system. \nSkin sores spread to parts of your body beyond the original area of the rash. \nYou think you have a bacterial skin infection in the same area as the shingles rash, or your rash has not healed in 2 to 4 weeks. \nYou develop pain in your face or are unable to move muscles in your face. The most common treatments for shingles include:\n\nAntiviral medications, such as acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir, to reduce the pain and the duration of shingles. \nNonprescription pain medications, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, which may help reduce pain during an attack of shingles. \nCorticosteroids, in combination with antiviral medication, to reduce pain and the duration of shingles. \nTopical antibiotics, applied directly to the skin, to stop infection of the blisters.
915815
Sounds like you have type 1 & 2 herpes - otherwise known as oral & genital herpes.  When you have an outbreak (blisters, etc) then you "shed" the virus - if they do a swab they'll be able to find the virus.  Otherwise, the blood (antibody) test shows that you have the viruses but not for how long.  I hope the folks who did the testing also talked to you about treating it - you can get medicine that can help cut down on the number and severity of outbreaks you have, although nothing's gonna cure it.
725534
Yes you can take blood tests. You may have to get a referal from your regular doctor, but you should see a allergist. They take little samples of lots of foods and other things and prick it into your arms (both arms) and which evers gets swollen and itchy after 10-15 minutes, you are allergic to. It is very cool, i have gotten it down twice.
1175467
No, there is no blood test. It is done by symptoms and diagnosis.
1175773
Medical studies (I believe in the 1950's) showed that very high doses of vitamin C (requires an intravenous infusion) were very effective in clearing shingles and post-herpetic pain.  You will need to find a knowledgeable Naturopathic Physician or Medical Doctor to get this type of treatment.\n\nYou can try very high doses (1000 - 2000 milligrams) of oral vitamin C, taken every hour throughout the day.  These high doses can cause diarrhea in some.  Also, even these high doses may not be able to raise serum levels of Vitamin C high enough to be effective.\n\nAlso consider seeing your Chiropractor.  Spinal manipulation of the involved vertebrae has, in my clinical experienced, helped some recover faster from herpetic pain.\n\nBest wishes and good luck.
562686
I guy I work with just had it.\n\nIts like an outbreak of the repressed chicken pox virus from when you were a kid.  Its brought on by great stress and apparently it itches like chicken pox.  They treated it with really high dosages of hormones.\n\nTry this http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shingles/shingles.htm
284689
There are currently five ways to diagnose herpes. It is unlikely that your doctor will know about all of them. Thus, it will be to your advantage to print out this page and take it to your physician’s office when you go for testing. In addition to identifying whether an individual is infected with herpes, a test ideally should also provide 2 other pieces of information: 1) location and 2) the type of herpes simplex (HSV-1 or HSV-2). Type and location are important for assessing transmission risks (e.g., partners with the same type of HSV are unlikely to contract the same type again [regardless of locale]. However, they have a good chance of contracting a new type of simplex). \n\n1. CLINICAL EXAMINATION and an assessment of your previous symptoms (history) are very poor at detecting herpes. HSV symptoms are easily confused with other diseases (even by experts) or may present atypically (redness rather than sores), so it’s quite possible to get an incorrect diagnosis on this basis alone.\n\n2. VIRAL CULTURE - Although this test has a high rate of false negatives (~50%), it is the most valid test available. Unlike blood tests, it requires the presence of active viral shedding (e.g., open sores). This test can distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2 and has the advantage of being able to identify the location of infection. If you get this test, be sure that your doctor requests that the culture be typed (e.g., HSV-1) – most labs will not report type unless specified.\n\n3. POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (PCR) - PCR testing also requires the presence of active viral shedding. However, PCR is a more sensitive test than viral isolation and is also type specific. PCR is now available for commercial use but it may not be available at your doctor’s facility.\n\n4. NON-TYPE SPECIFIC BLOOD TEST - Certain types of blood tests, like the older ELISA, will detect herpes, but it can’t distinguish between the two types of herpes simplex (HSV-1 & HSV-2). HSV-2 is the type usually associated with genital HSV infection, while HSV-1 is the type usually associated with oral HSV infection (i.e., cold sores). However, both types of HSV can infect either location. Non-type-specific ELISAs may be useful if patients have no history of HSV infection. However, because a significant proportion of the population is infected with HSV-1 (~70%), non-type-specific tests are usually inconclusive at determining secondary HSV infections (e.g., HSV-2) due to the amount of cross reactivity.\n\n5. TYPE-SPECIFIC BLOOD TESTS - such as the Western Blot, *Focus Technologies HerpeSelect (herpesonline.org recommended) ELISA or Immunoblot test for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 and can distinguish between the two types of HSV. Active viral shedding is not necessary (unlike PCR or Viral Isolation) in order to detect HSV infection (even if you are not currently having symptoms). There is only one U.S. lab that processes blood samples for the Western Blot (University of Washington) so you may have to wait a week or more for your results (For Canadians, the WB can be processed at lab Virdae Clinic). \n\nNOTE: Blood tests for the long-term IgG antibodies are generally reliable only after 12 to 16 weeks of infection. Please be aware that all blood tests have an error rate and that false negative indications are possible, while false positive indications are almost nonexistent. Within the first few weeks of infection, detection of early antibodies (IgM) may potentially be useful for diagnostic purposes (absence of IgG, but presence of IgM may indicate a new infection). IgM testing is limited in value because, at this time, it is not type specific. \n\nBlood Test Information: \n\nFor information on the Western Blot, HSV Type-Specific serology, contact the University of Washington Community Services at (206) 598-6066. They can provide information on the test, ordering instructions and interpretation of the test results. http://depts.washington.edu/herpes/\n\nIf you’re located in Canada, yo
237091
anyone who has had chicken pox is at risk for developing shingles as the virus can re-activate in times of stress or immunosupression.
822372
http://www.leukemia.org/hm_lls\nDiagnosis \nOnce the physician suspects that a patient's blood is abnormal, he or she will want to perform blood and bone marrow tests to rule out leukemia. Additional tissue samples may be needed to confirm the diagnosis or to help plan treatment. \n\nBlood Tests \nIn cases of questionable leukemia, a number of blood tests are performed. Such tests evaluate the type and quantity of blood cells that are present, the blood chemistry, and other factors. \n\nThe second link explains ALL the tests for leukemia.