Shingles is a painful infection and rash that can occur on your scalp. Symptoms may include facial drooping (due to weakened muscles) and headaches. The shingles rash usually goes away after a few months, but the pain can last long after the rash clears up.
Shingles causes blistery, itchy, and intensely painful rashes to develop anywhere on the body. These rashes are much more painful and challenging to treat and manage when they appear on the scalp. This is because the scalp is very sensitive, and any pressure, such as from scratching or brushing your hair, can cause blisters to burst and bleed.
Keep reading to learn about shingles on the scalp, including symptoms, causes, complications, diagnosis, and treatment.
Symptoms
The earliest signs of shingles are burning, tingling, numbness, and sharp pain on the skin on one side of the body or the face. The most common sites for shingles blisters are the waistline, face, neck, chest, abdomen, and back.1
Additional early symptoms of shingles may include:
Extreme fatigue
Chills
Fever
Headache
Upset stomach or belly pain
Sensitivity to light
Symptoms that appear a few days after initial symptoms include:
Itching, tingling, or burning in the affected area of skin
Redness
Raised rash
Blisters that are filled with fluid. These will break open and then scab.
Mild to severe pain in the affected area of the skin
Shingles rashes usually affect nerve paths, and blisters are typically found in a line.2 Rashes might also appear on one side of the face or the scalp. On the face, the rash can appear near your eye or on your ear.
In addition to painful blisters, shingles of the scalp might also cause headaches or weakness on one side of the face.3 This weakness can cause the affected side of the face to look droopy.
Causes
Shingles is caused by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the virus that causes chickenpox.2 After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus might travel into nerve tissues, where it will remain dormant for decades. Shingles will result when the virus reawakens and travels back up the nerve pathways and into the skin.
Anyone who has ever had chickenpox is at risk of shingles later in life, usually as an older adult. Shingles is more common in people older than age 50, and the risk increases with age.4
Additional risk factors include:
Having an illness that weakens your immune system, such as HIV/AIDS
Undergoing cancer treatments: Radiation or chemotherapy can lower your immune defenses and may trigger shingles.
Taking certain medicines: Taking immunosuppressive drugs after an organ transplant or prolonged use of steroids like prednisone can increase the risk of shingles.
Prolonged stress or infection: The immune system can be weaker if you are experiencing high levels of stress or have an infection, which can increase your risk of shingles.4
If you are not immune to chickenpox—either from having had chickenpox or after being vaccinated against it—it is possible to contract the varicella-zoster virus from someone else.5 This often happens if there is direct contact with open sores from a shingles rash.
While you may not develop shingles right away, you might become infected with the varicella-zoster virus. If you are not immune to chickenpox, you will develop chickenpox instead.
Once you have had chickenpox, you are at risk of shingles later down the road. While this means that shingles isn’t highly contagious, you should still exercise caution when caring for someone with open sores.5
What Causes Shingles?
Complications
Shingles pain can last for weeks, months, or even years—often long after skin symptoms have healed.6 This long-term pain is called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN occurs in the places where the shingles rash was, even after the skin has cleared. This pain can sometimes be so severe that it affects a person’s quality of life.
According to the CDC, up to 18% of people who get shingles will experience PHN.7 The risk of PHN increases with age, and older adults are more likely to develop PHN and have long-lasting and more severe pain than a younger person would. PHN is rare in people under 40.7
Shingles of the scalp can lead to hair loss from scratching or combing too hard during an outbreak. It can also lead to a condition called cicatricial alopecia or scarring alopecia.8 The hair loss occurs because the shingles rash destroys cells in hair follicles responsible for new hair growth. Once those cells are destroyed, the balding is permanent.
Shingles might lead to other serious complications, including those of the eyes, such as vision loss. In rare cases, shingles can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, encephalitis (brain inflammation), or death.7
When Should You See a Healthcare Provider?
Contact your healthcare provider right away if you suspect you might have shingles, especially if you are older than age 60.9
You should also seek out medical attention for:
Pain and/or a rash near the eye. Left untreated, shingles could lead to permanent eye damage.
Pain, redness, or rash on the face
A very painful and widespread rash
A high fever or feeling very sick in addition to a rash
Blister spread to other parts of the body
A severe headache with a rash on the scalp or head
Weakness on one side of the face
The National Institute on Aging recommends seeing your healthcare provider no later than three days after the start of the shingles rash.9
Diagnosis
One of the first things your healthcare provider will do in making a diagnosis is to examine the rash that has appeared on the skin or scalp. The shingles rash is the main sign, and your healthcare provider can often tell you have shingles just from the appearance and feel of the rash.
Your healthcare provider will also want to know about other symptoms you might be experiencing. Symptoms that are common when a shingles rash is present are fever, chills, nausea, and headache.
Tests for shingles usually aren’t done unless the rash alone isn’t enough to confirm a diagnosis. Your healthcare provider may want to do a shingles test if you are at a higher risk of complications.
A shingles test can check to see if you have been infected with the varicella-zoster virus.10 This test can be done in two different ways. The first involves taking a blood sample from a vein, and the second samples fluid from a blister. Both tests check for virus antibodies. The blister test can also check for the virus.
Treatment
There is no cure for shingles, but treatment with antiviral medications and self-care can speed up healing and reduce the risk of complications.
Medications
Antiviral drugs can slow down the progression of shingles rashes. These drugs need to be taken within the first 72 hours of showing signs of shingles.1 They can keep the rash from spreading or getting worse, and they might help to lower the chance of complications.
Antiviral treatments that your healthcare provider might prescribe include acyclovir, famciclovir, or valacyclovir.11 Talk to your healthcare provider about the side effects connected to these medicines.
You can take over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to relieve mild pain and swelling from the shingles rash and blisters. OTC pain relievers that might help include ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen.
If you continue to have severe pain after the rash and the infection clear, your healthcare provider can prescribe treatments to help. This might include:12
Capsaicin cream to reduce skin pain and swelling
A numbing medication like lidocaine
Antibiotics to treat skin bacteria
Tricyclic antidepressants to ease skin pain that lingers after the shingles rash has healed
How Shingles Is Treated
At-Home Care
If you have shingles blisters on the scalp, combing or brushing your hair can cause the skin to feel sensitive. Be careful when brushing or combing to avoid scaping the rash or popping a blister. Scratching the scalp too hard can cause scars that destroy hair follicles.
Other ways to manage scalp pain and itching and prevent permanent damage include:
Applying cold compresses to the affected part of the scalp
Applying calamine or menthol lotion on the head to soothe the pain and itching13
Avoiding harsh or scented shampoos on the hair. Instead, use gentle, unscented cleansers.
Avoiding scrubbing when washing your hair
Patting hair dry with a towel after washing it
Using lukewarm water when washing hair
Avoiding hairspray and other hair styling products
Ask your healthcare provider about other creams that can help soothe the shingles rash on your scalp and to reduce itching.
Coping With Shingles
Prognosis
Shingles with a rash—regardless of where the rash is located—can take up to five weeks to completely heal.1 Even without a rash, symptoms can still take up to five weeks to heal.
For most people, the lesions will heal, the pain will subside, and the blisters won’t leave scarring. However, people who have compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of complications and might find that it takes longer to heal or might have lingering pain long after the rash has cleared.
Shingles can be very painful. The best way to improve your prognosis is to seek out diagnosis and treatment as soon as you experience symptoms.
A better option is to do what you can to reduce your risk of shingles. If you have had chickenpox in the past, ask your healthcare provider about getting the shingles vaccine. If you have not had chickenpox, ask your healthcare provider about the chickenpox vaccine.
Blisters on the face can have many causes, including:
Cold sores
Also known as facial herpes, these are small fluid-filled blisters that appear around the mouth. They are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). Before the blisters appear, the area may feel itchy or burning. Cold sores usually heal without scarring, but they can come back.
Impetigo
A contagious skin infection that can cause larger blisters around the mouth or on other parts of the face. It is caused by bacteria.
Sunburn
UV rays from the sun damage skin cells, and the body creates blisters to heal the damaged area.
Stress
Stress rashes can appear as raised red bumps called hives on the face, neck, chest, or arms. Hives can be itchy or cause a burning or tingling sensation.
Other causes
Blisters can also be caused by burns, scalds, rubbing, allergic reactions, autoimmune disease, or rare genetic diseases.
Most blisters heal on their own in 3 to 7 days. You should avoid popping the blister, as this can lead to infection or slow down healing. If the blister does pop, you can wash the area with soap and water and apply an antibiotic ointment. You can cover it with a bandage during the day, but remove it at night to let it dry.
What is perioral dermatitis and how is it treated?
Perioral dermatitis is a skin condition that causes a rash around the mouth. Perioral dermatitis may also occur around the eyes, nose, or genitals, but this is much less common. Treatments may include certain creams, lotions, or gels.
What is perioral dermatitis?
Dermatitis refers to an inflammation of the skin, while perioral means around the mouth.
Perioral dermatitis is most common in females between the ages of 20 and 45 yearsTrusted Source. Older adults, males, and children can also have the condition, but it happens less frequently.
Perioral dermatitis belongs to the broader category of periorificial dermatitis, which can affect the skin predominantly around the eyes, the nostrils, the mouth, and occasionally the genitals.
However, when medical professionals discuss the condition affecting specifically the skin around the mouth, they use the term perioral dermatitis.
Types of perioral dermatitis
In most cases, perioral dermatitis affects young adults and adult females up to the age of 45Trusted Source. But when it affects children, health experts call it childhood perioral dermatitis.
Lupoid perioral dermatitis is a more severe version that results in a person developing denser groupings of bumps that can be red and brown on both light and darker skin tones.
Another related type of condition is granulomatous periorificial dermatitis. While it primarily occurs inTrusted Source children with darker skin tones, it can also present in children with light skin tones. It usually appears as flesh-colored, yellow-brown papules.
What are the symptoms of perioral dermatitis?
Perioral dermatitis is a rash that developsTrusted Source around the mouth and tends to be bumpy or scaly.
These bumps generally do not affect the skin right next to the mouth but appear a short distance away from the lips. They may also form a ring around the mouth.
Sometimes the rash can appear around the nose or eyes. It can occasionally appear around the genitals too, but this is rare.
What does it look and feel like?
Some people with perioral dermatitis may only get a few bumps, and their rash may not be very discernible. Others may have many lumps forming a noticeable rash.
The bumps may be skin colored or hyperpigmented and may appear red or pink in people with fair skin. Although they might resemble pimples, the bumps are not the same as acne. The rash may look inflamed, with the underlying and surrounding skin appearing red, pink, or flesh toned.
The rash may be itchy or non-itchy, but it does not usually hurt. Some people with perioral dermatitis may feel tightness or mild burning in the affected skin, which may be dry or flaky.
Granulomatous periorificial dermatitis is more common in darker-skinned people, who may experience less evident skin flushing and color changes. This condition has associations with burning, so individuals with darker skin may experienceTrusted Source this symptom more frequently.
Share on PinterestPerioral dermatitis is a common facial skin problem.
Photo by DermNet New Zealand
Share on PinterestIt presents as tiny red papules around the mouth and chin.
Photo by DermNet New Zealand
Share on PinterestThe condition is commonly treated with facial ointments and creams.
Photo by DermNet New Zealand
Share on PinterestThe skin is usually dry and itchy, with the papules presenting in clusters.
Miroslav Lukic/Shutterstock
Share on PinterestHealing time varies for each individual but usually takes 2–4 weeks.
The Korean Dermatological Association and The Korean Society for Investigative Dermatology/NBCI
What causes perioral dermatitis?
There is no underlying condition that causes perioral dermatitis, and it is not contagious. Although the exact cause is unknownTrusted Source, researchers think it may relate to the use of topical corticosteroids.
Topical corticosteroids are steroid ointments, creams, or gels that people use to treat skin conditions. However, individuals should only ever use topical corticosteroids as a short-term treatment, and most of them are not suitable for applying on the face. Sometimes, a person uses corticosteroids for longer than they should or use them on their face. This can result in skin damage.
A 2021 studyTrusted Source showed that topical corticosteroids may have a link to a variety of skin conditions, including perioral dermatitis. Research from 2017Trusted Source that explored the effects of the misuse of topical corticosteroids on facial skin also showed that perioral dermatitis was one of the adverse effects.
Additional possible causes of perioral dermatitis may include:
a problem with the skin’s protective barrier
a change in the bacteria on the skin
bacteria getting into the hair follicles
an allergic reaction
irritation resulting from a skin care product or fluorinated toothpaste
hormonal changes
strong winds
UV light
in children:
lip licking and chewing
thumb sucking
drooling
chewing gum
inhalingTrusted Source nasal steroids
More research is necessary to understand the exact causes of perioral dermatitis, but using heavily-scented toiletries or skin care products or wearing heavy makeup can trigger the condition.
Other possible risk factors can include young age, being female, hormonal imbalance, topical steroid use, and a history of allergies.
In a groundbreaking decision, the FDA has officially banned a controversial soda ingredient that has long been prohibited in many countries worldwide. This move marks a significant shift in the beverage industry and highlights the ongoing scrutiny of food additives in the United States.
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO), once a common additive in citrus-flavored sodas, has finally met its demise in the American market. This decision aligns the United States with numerous other nations that have long since outlawed the substance. The FDA’s ruling comes after decades of debate and mounting scientific evidence regarding BVO’s potential health risks.
Countries such as Japan, India, and members of the European Union have banned BVO for years, citing concerns over its long-term effects on human health. The state of California took a pioneering step in October 2022 by legislating against BVO, with the ban set to take effect in 2027. This proactive approach mirrors the global trend of increased scrutiny on food additives, similar to the ongoing investigations into synthetic food dyes and their potential health risks.
The FDA’s decision to revoke BVO’s registration stems from recent toxicology studies that have cast doubt on its safety for continued use in food products. James Jones, FDA deputy commissioner for human foods, emphasized that this action exemplifies the agency’s commitment to monitoring emerging evidence and conducting scientific research to ensure food safety.
The science behind the ban
BVO’s journey from a widely used emulsifier to a banned substance is rooted in scientific research spanning several decades. Initially introduced in the 1930s, BVO served as an effective agent to prevent citrus flavoring from separating in sodas. Its unique chemical structure, created by attaching bromine atoms to vegetable oil, allowed it to disperse evenly throughout beverages.
However, animal studies have consistently suggested that BVO can accumulate in fatty tissues over time. This bioaccumulation raises concerns about its long-term effects on human health, particularly its potential interference with thyroid function. The thyroid gland plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism, and any disruption to its function can have far-reaching consequences.
A significant study conducted in the UK during the 1970s found evidence of bromine buildup in human tissues. Subsequent animal studies linked high concentrations of BVO to:
Heart problems
Behavioral issues
Potential thyroid dysfunction
These findings, coupled with more recent research using concentrations relevant to human consumption, ultimately convinced the FDA to take decisive action. This decision-making process mirrors the agency’s approach to other substances, such as the FDA’s evaluation of antidepressants for potential cancer treatments, highlighting the organization’s commitment to evidence-based regulation.
Industry response and alternatives
The beverage industry has been anticipating this regulatory shift for some time. Major players like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have proactively phased out BVO from their products over the past decade. This forward-thinking approach has enabled a relatively smooth transition away from the controversial ingredient.
James Jones noted that many beverage makers had already reformulated their products to replace BVO with alternative ingredients. This industry-wide shift has resulted in very few beverages in the US still containing BVO, making the FDA’s ban more of a formality than a disruptive force.
The search for safe alternatives to BVO has led to innovations in food science. Companies have explored various options, including:
Alternative
Function
Source
Glycerol ester of wood rosin
Emulsifier
Pine trees
Sucrose acetate isobutyrate
Density adjuster
Synthetic
Vegetable gums
Stabilizer
Plants
These alternatives not only serve the functional purpose of keeping citrus flavors well-mixed but also address the growing consumer demand for natural and healthier ingredients. This shift in the industry parallels other health-conscious trends, such as the scrutiny of certain cooking oils and their potential health impacts.
Future implications for food regulation
The FDA’s decision to ban BVO signals a potential shift in the agency’s approach to food additives. Jones has indicated that the FDA is reviewing regulations authorizing the use of certain food additives, with a view to streamlining the process for prohibiting substances found to cause cancer in humans or animals.
This more agile regulatory framework could lead to faster responses to emerging scientific evidence, potentially resulting in quicker bans or restrictions on questionable food additives. The move aligns with global trends in food safety regulation, as seen in the EU’s strict stance on pesticides in imported products.
Consumer advocacy groups have welcomed this development, seeing it as a step towards more transparent and health-focused food regulations. The ban on BVO serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance in food safety and the importance of continual scientific research in shaping public health policies.
As the food and beverage industry adapts to this new landscape, consumers can expect to see further innovations in product formulations. The focus on safer, more natural ingredients is likely to continue, driven by both regulatory pressures and changing consumer preferences. The FDA’s decision on BVO may well be the harbinger of a new era in food additive regulation, one that prioritizes long-term health impacts over short-term convenience.
The chimeric mouse (left) has dark eyes compared to the red eyes of the wild-type mouse (right). (Gao Ya and Alvin Kin Shing Lee)
With their little beady black eyes and dappled gray fur, the mice born in a recent lab experiment in Hong Kong are unlike any others of their species, or indeed any other animal.
And yet, in spite of their fundamental differences, they couldn’t appear more ordinary, a fact that reveals an astonishing truth about our evolutionary history.
The mice were spliced with genes from a single-celled microbe called a choanoflagellate. Though not an animal itself, the microorganism is closely related to them, having changed little since a time before complex, multicellular life even existed.
Remarkably, the success of a selection of the choanoflagellate’s genes in something as complex and multicellular as a mouse gives us new insights into the evolutionary origins of animal traits.
Animals feature what is known as pluripotency: an ability for embryonic stem cells to differentiate and develop into the variety of tissues that make up a fully developed organism. In spite of not having this talent, choanoflagellates have their own versions of the genes responsible for pluripotency in animals.
By swapping mouse genes for the version found in choanoflagellates, researchers could determine just how similar the two are in their functionality.
“By successfully creating a mouse using molecular tools derived from our single-celled relatives, we’re witnessing an extraordinary continuity of function across nearly a billion years of evolution,” says geneticist Alex de Mendoza of Queen Mary University in the UK.
“The study implies that key genes involved in stem cell formation might have originated far earlier than the stem cells themselves, perhaps helping pave the way for the multicellular life we see today.”
Neonatal chimeric mouse pups. (Goa et al., Nat. Commun., 2024)
Pluripotency is thought to have emerged with the appearance of multicellular animals some 700 million years ago, so it stands to reason that transcription factors associated with stem cell pluripotency, such as those in the Sox and POU families, are thought to be restricted to multicellular animals.
But prior research conducted on animal-adjacent microbes suggests that the origins of pluripotency predate multicellularity. If this is the case, it could be one of the drivers of animal evolution, rather than a consequence of it.
Choanoflagellate Sox genes have traits similar to those found in mammalian Sox2 genes. In mice, Sox2 interacts with a POU member called Oct4, but choanoflagellate POU genes are incapable of generating pluripotent stem cells.
A team of researchers led by Ya Gao and Daisylyn Senna Tan of the University of Hong Kong and Mathias Girbig of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Germany wanted to know what might happen if they replaced the mammalian Sox2 gene with a choanoflagellate Sox gene.
They grew cloned mouse stem cells and reprogrammed their genomes, replacing Sox2 with choanoflagellate Sox. These cells were injected into embryonic mouse blastocysts that were then implanted into pseudopregnant mouse surrogates to be gestated, birthed, and raised in a nurturing environment.
The chimeric mice are five weeks old. (Gao et al., Nat. Commun., 2024)
The chimeric pups were born with a mix of traits based on their spliced heritage. Obviously they were mice, but they had dark eyes and dark fur patches that indicated their mixed genetics. Otherwise, they were pretty normal, which suggests that choanoflagellate Sox genes were able to create stem cells compatible with the mouse’s development.
This suggests that the tools for creating pluripotency developed in choanoflagellates before multicellularity emerged.
“Choanoflagellates don’t have stem cells; they’re single-celled organisms, but they have these genes, likely to control basic cellular processes that multicellular animals probably later repurposed for building complex bodies,” de Mendoza says.
The findings suggest that the Sox transcription factors in choanoflagellates hundreds of millions of years ago were biochemically similar to the Sox genes that serve important functions in multicellular organisms today. The inability of choanoflagellate POU to produce pluripotent stem cells, on the other hand, suggests that POU members had to undergo modification to take up the role they play in pluripotency now.
These results could have implications for stem cell research and stem cell therapies, the researchers say. And they add an interesting layer of complexity to the story of how life diversified on Earth.
“Our data clearly shows that two of the main gene families involved in vertebrate pluripotency and key developmental genes across animals were already present before the origins of multicellularity,” the team writes in its paper.
“Eventually, their biochemical capabilities were enhanced to build one of the defining cell types of a complex multicellular entity.”
You may brush and floss twice a day, but you definitely won’t be able to stop this from gradually turning your teeth yellow
There’s a leading reason behind your teeth becoming more yellow as you get older, and it might not be a problem that can be solved.
People care a lot about their smiles, and it’s no wonder, with Instagram being filled to the brim with gleaming white gnashers.
It’s also why so many people have been booking flights over to Turkey to get a cheaper set of veneers put in to get themselves that fresh white smile.
We all want our teeth to look and feel the best they can (Getty Stock Image)
But for those who prefer to keep it natural, even though you may be brushing and flossing twice a year, your teeth may turn yellow naturally regardless.
There’s a particular reason behind this, though.
It’s well documented that there are certain foods and drinks that can ruin your teeth quicker than others, wearing your enamel away.
The outer layer of your teeth, the enamel, is crucial to protect your teeth from breaking, and it helps to give your teeth a nice white colour when fresh.
However, once it erodes, you are susceptible to fractures and discoloration, with one drink above all known to be the worst for your chompers.
It’s coffee, sadly, while tea and wine can also ruin the colour of your teeth. And if you think it’s caffeine doing this and decaf is any better—you’re wrong.
Who would want yellow teeth? (Getty Stock Image)
So let’s say you avoid coffee. Well, it turns out that your teeth will go yellow anyway, unless you can reverse the aging process.
While there are a number of reasons behind discoloured teeth, ageing is one that you cannot steer clear of.
According to Naenae Dental Clinic, your enamel will slowly wear away and leave behind a set of yellow teeth, regardless of how healthy your teeth cleaning routine is.
They add: “This can be exacerbated by the simple fact that, based on our genetics, some of us are born with an extremely thick layer of enamel, and some of us naturally have a very thin layer.”
So essentially, it’s all up to genetics, the cards you were dealt at birth… Unless you want to make a quick trip to Turkey, of course.
Brushing your teeth won’t stop you from getting older (Getty Stock Image)
However, you can cut down on drinks that speed up the breaking down of teeth, such as the aforementioned three of coffee, tea, and wine, as well as dark soft drinks.
This is all due to chromogens, which make up the composition of the dark colour, though it is also sticky, meaning it can latch onto teeth.
So even if you’re brushing extra hard, more often than normal, make use of other products (which experts advise you to do), or even get your teeth cleaned and whitened, you will not see the long-term benefits.
If you continue drinking these drinks that stain, your teeth will end up adopting the yellow colour once again.
Kidney disease is a serious condition affecting millions worldwide. When the kidneys are damaged, they can’t function properly, which is crucial for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and filtering waste from the blood. Early detection and treatment are essential to prevent further damage and complications. Thankfully, the body sends signals that something might be wrong with your kidneys. Learn to recognize these signs and seek medical help promptly.
Understanding the Role of the Kidneys
The kidneys are two small, bean-shaped organs located on either side of the spine, just below the ribcage. They filter blood, removing waste products and excess fluids, help control blood pressure, produce red blood cells, and maintain the balance of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and calcium. Healthy kidneys filter around 120 to 150 quarts of blood daily, producing about 1 to 2 quarts of urine.
What is Kidney Disease?
Kidney disease, or renal disease, occurs when the kidneys are damaged and can no longer function optimally. Causes include high blood pressure, diabetes, infections, autoimmune disorders, and genetic factors. If left untreated, kidney disease can progress to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. Early detection is critical for effective management and preventing further damage.
Signs of Kidney Disease
Many people don’t catch kidney disease until it is advanced. However, the body does send early warning signs. Here are 10 signs that your kidneys might be in trouble:
Changes in Urination
Increased frequency, especially at night
Decreased urination or foamy urine
Fatigue and Weakness
Anemia caused by kidney disease leads to persistent fatigue and difficulty concentrating
Swelling
Fluid buildup (edema) causing swelling in the legs, hands, face, and abdomen
Persistent Back Pain
Severe pain below the ribcage, often accompanied by tenderness, and usually related to untreated urinary tract infections
Unexplained Weight Loss or Loss of Appetite
Decreased appetite and weight loss due to waste buildup in the body
Nausea and Vomiting
Feeling of nausea and episodes of vomiting, especially in the morning or after meals
Difficulty Sleeping
Trouble sleeping due to nighttime muscle cramps, restless leg syndrome, or frequent urination
Metallic Taste in the Mouth
Persistent metallic taste from the buildup of waste products in the blood
Muscle Cramps and Twitching
Electrolyte imbalances causing muscle cramps and twitching
Itchy Skin
Generalized itching from toxin accumulation in the blood
These symptoms can vary depending on the stage and severity of kidney disease. If you notice any of these signs, consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation and appropriate management. Early intervention can make a significant difference in the treatment and outcome of kidney disease
Landmarks across the county of Los Angeles will light up in red Sunday to commemorate World AIDS Day 2024, representing a collective commitment to ending the epidemic.
This Sunday marks the 36th annual World AIDS Day, with this year’s theme being “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress.”
The L.A. County Department of Public Health encourages residents to learn more about HIV and available free, low-cost, and life-saving medication and services.
County officials said eight landmarks will light up red:
Paramount Pictures’ Studio Water Tower;
Petersen Automotive Museum;
Rose Bowl Stadium;
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s John Ferraro Building;
The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles;
Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center;
Los Angeles Union Station; and
The Queen Mary and The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach
About 52,000 people with HIV live in the county, and an estimated 1,400 new HIV infections are reported each year, according to DPH. A disproportionate number of cases are seen among gay men, African Americans, Latinos, and transgender individuals.
“This year’s theme of collective action is central to the spirit of World AIDS Day and to our goals,” Barbara Ferrer, director of DPH, said in a statement. “We are committed to working with multisector partners to end transmission of HIV and create a future where every person affected by HIV receives the support they need.”
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As part of its Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative, DPH provides more than 35 HIV-related programs and partners with organizations for outreach and education, community-based HIV/STD testing, linkage to care, intensive street-based case management, and clinic-based services.
Mario Pérez, director of DPH’s division of HIV and STD programs, added that residents with HIV can visit getprotectedla.com for HIV-related information and services.
Meanwhile, The Wall las Memorías, a nonprofit, will host its Noche de las Memorías to honor the lives lost to AIDS. This year marks the 20th anniversary of its monument, which features six murals depicting life with AIDS in the Latino community and two granite panels that contain more than 1,600 names of people who died from the disease.
The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. with 3,000 candles lit around the lake at Lincoln Park, located at 3600 N. Mission Road, followed by testimonials from families at 6:30 p.m. and a fireworks show at 7:30 p.m.
David Archuleta, singer and 2008 American Idol runner-up, will perform at 7 p.m. and share his journey of self-discovery, identity, and faith with other young Latinos who are looking for the courage to live their lives openly and authentically.
Latinos are impacted by AIDS more than any other group in L.A. County and the nation, according to The Wall las Memorías.
Two events are planned Sunday in West Hollywood.
At 2 p.m., the City of West Hollywood will join Stories: The AIDS Monument and APLA Health in a World AIDS Day event at the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center Respite Deck, 8750 El Tovar Place, adjacent to West Hollywood Library.
Afterward, at 3:30 p.m., the Lavender Effect will host a launch and reception for the “Young City at War” exhibit, which will be featured under the Grand Staircase at West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd. The exhibit features stories from West Hollywood during the AIDS epidemic of the 80s and 90s, focusing on the story of a diverse community’s response to the early days of HIV/AIDS.
The public installation honors people past and present who were at the forefront of the fight against the disease and showcases the power of community.
World AIDS Day raises awareness about HIV/AIDS, celebrates progress against the disease, and honors and supports impacted communities.
Globally, an estimated 88.4 million people have acquired HIV since the start of the epidemic in the early 1980s. Almost 40 million people around the world are currently living with HIV, and more than 42 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic, DPH reported.
In 2023, worldwide, approximately 630,000 people died from HIV, and an estimated 1.3 million people became newly infected with HIV.
