Symptoms of shingles

The symptoms of Shingles (Herpes zoster) are quite specific. Unless you know what to look for, complaints like headache, body ache, fever, chills, upset stomach, fatigue and sensitivity to light may look or feel like the flu.

The sooner the symptoms of shingles are recognized and the condition is diagnosed, the fewer problems or shingles complications you'll have, because the antiviral medications used for it are only effective if given early.

A case of chickenpox leaves the Varicella-zoster virus dormant in the body's nerve cells for an indefinite period of time. The reactivation of the virus is what causes Herpes zoster.

Almost all adults in the United States have had chickenpox, even if the case was mild enough to go unnoticed.

Therefore, the virus can reactivate in almost anyone - even those who don't think they've had chickenpox or those younger than 50. People over 50 are generally more susceptible.

When the shingles virus awakens (click here to find out what causes it to reactivate ), it does so in the form of the shingles rash, not chickenpox.

With shingles disease, the nervous system is more deeply involved than it was during the bout with chickenpox, and the shingles symptoms are often more complex and severe.

The nerve "hosting" the virus (or nerves if there's more than one), determines the path the shingles rash takes as it develops - and on which part of the body.

First signs and symptoms of Shingles

• Pain (mild or intense), burning, tingling, itching or a constant ache in the site where the rash will appear.

• Numbness or an unbearable sensitivity to touch - even to the gentlest brush of a breeze or a piece of clothing

• Shooting pains along with the burning sensation

• Fever and chills, headache, upset stomach or abdominal pain

What to expect after the initial Shingles symptoms

• Over a period of 2-5 days after the shingles pain or sensitivity starts, the classic rash of raised, red bumps and blisters erupts in a cluster in the area experiencing pain or sensitivity.

• The number and size of the lesions or patches of blisters can vary from a scattered few to many that merge into a large red, burn-like area.

• The most common path of the rash is a band - called a dermatome - from the spine around the torso or waist to the chest or stomach. The torso is the area affected in 50%-60% of cases, while the face, neck and eye area are the next common and, on occasion, the lower body.

• The blisters crust over in a week or two and the sores disappear 2 weeks after that. The rash usually lasts up to 30 days, and the pain associated with the rash generally diminishes as it heals.

In some people, however, the rash may lead to long-term shingles pain that lasts for months or even years. This is known as Postherpetic neuralgia or PHN.

Approximately a million cases of Herpes zoster occur each year in the U.S and the virus affects an estimated 25% of Americans at some point in their lifetimes.

There is a shingles vaccine (zostavax) that became available around 2007, which is designed specifically for people over 60. It requires specialized storage, so not all doctors' offices are able to offer it.

Spotting the symptoms of shingles and getting treatment quickly is the best shot you have at getting a mild case without immediate or long-term complications.

Click here to ask a question about the symptoms of shingles.

Oscar Wilde

credit: Cam Switzer

More about Shingles

Are shingles contagious?

Causes

Postherpetic neuralgia and other complications

Shingles

Skin disorders