都市傳說：「生蛇」纏身一圈就會死？Urban
Myth: Does Shingle Kill?
「藥劑師，聽人講『生蛇』纏身一圈就會死，係咪真架？」
‘I have heard an old saying: “shingles could kill if you get a round.” Is that true?’
「生蛇」嘅醫學名稱係「帶狀疱疹」，屬於病毒感染。同水痘嘅病毒如出一轍，如果你兒時曾經出過水痘，散退後病毒並唔會離開你嘅身體，反而會休眠喺體內嘅神經線，並有機會喺免疫系統較弱時復發，導致「生蛇」，而生蛇風險隨年齡増加。
Shingles, or Herpes Zoster, is a viral infection. It is the same virus as chicken pox playing the trick. The virus never leaves you if you ever caught a chicken pox, instead it would ‘sleep’ in your neurons, coming back as shingles when you are weak.
帶狀疱疹特別之處係，紅疹會沿著脊髓神經遊走，好似一條蛇纏喺半邊身，甚至形成水泡，最常見係背部及腰部。生蛇發病急，病人突然感到觸電般痛楚。病人最初可能誤以為扭傷、肚痛等。
What’s special about shingle is the rash, or blister sometimes, goes along the neuron like a snake on a side, very often on the back or loin. The attack kicks in with sudden tingling sensation, which is often mistaken as muscle strain or bellyache.
一旦懷疑生蛇，就應盡快求診，因為治療上要把握「黃金72小時」。出疹後72小時內服用抗病毒藥最有效，用藥7至10天，就可以治癒並大大減低併發症機會。若錯過黃金72小時，即使「蛇」散退後，約兩成嘅患者仍會出現不同程度嘅長期神經刺痛，持續數月、甚至終身。
Without further delay, you should go see a doctor first sign you notice. Golden 72 hours is the key. The sooner you are treated with anti-viral drugs for 7- 10 days, the more likely it can be cured without complications. Beyond 72 hours, the rash may subside, leaving around 20% patients in various degree of chronic neuropathic pain, for few months or even life.
屈臣氏藥劑師團隊
Watsons Pharmacy Team
