What is the difference between shingles and herpes?

From the names, shingles and herpes just have two more words. Most people always think that this is a disease, maybe just called differently, or they think that shingles is a type of herpes and is the same type of disease. In fact, these are two completely different diseases with different causes, symptoms, treatments, and prognoses. So, what is the difference between shingles and herpes?

Shingles is an acute inflammatory skin disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is called "fire dragon around the waist" or "fire dan around the waist" in traditional Chinese medicine. It is commonly known as "snake sore" and "spider sore" among the people. Its main feature is clustered blisters that are distributed in a clustered band along the peripheral nerves on one side, often accompanied by obvious neuralgia.

Typical symptoms of herpes zoster are:

Before the rash occurs, there may be systemic symptoms such as mild fatigue, low fever, and poor appetite. The affected skin will feel burning or neuralgia, and there will be obvious pain sensitivity when touched, which lasts for 1 to 3 days. The rash may also occur without any prodromal symptoms. The most common sites are the areas innervated by the intercostal nerves, cervical nerves, trigeminal nerves and lumbar sacral nerves. The affected area often first develops erythema, which soon turns into millet- to soybean-sized spots. After recovery from this disease, more lasting immunity can be obtained, so it generally will not recur.

Herpes simplex is caused by the herpes simplex virus, a DNA virus. Human herpes simplex virus is divided into two types, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-I) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-II). Type I mainly causes infections of the skin, mucous membranes (oral mucosa) and organs (brain) other than the genitals. Type II mainly causes skin and mucous membrane infections in the genital area. It can be transmitted through kissing or sharing eating utensils, towels, razors, etc. with an infected patient.

Herpes simplex often occurs at the junction of skin and mucous membranes, such as on the gums, outside of the mouth, outside of the mouth and tongue, near the nostrils, face and fingers. Herpes simplex usually has a history of multiple recurrences in the same area.

Patients usually feel very painful after suffering from shingles, because this disease often makes people feel very painful, but if this disease is treated actively, it will generally not recur after being cured, and this disease is generally not contagious. Herpes simplex is contagious and often recurs.