Patient/caregiver was educated on complications of shingles as follows:
- Facial paralysis: Involvement of the facial nerve with shingles can result in facial paralysis, with inability to blink the eye on the side of face affected, drooping & angulation of mouth on the involved side of face, slurred speech, and drooling.
- Hearing loss: Shingles can also involve the auditory nerve helping for hearing and balance, leading to ear pain, ringing sensation in the ears, vertigo, balance problems, increased fall risk, and hearing loss.
- Encephalitis: Involvement of the brain with shingles can result in encephalitis and depending on the extent of involvement individuals can present with symptoms such as, headaches, seizures, drowsiness, confusion, irritability, emotional lability, behavior & personality changes, weakness of one or more extremities, ambulation & balancing difficulties, and increased fall risk.
