What are the symptoms of shingles?
Shingles is a viral infection that can cause a painful rash. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. The virus remains in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain, inactive, after you’ve had chickenpox, and may reactivate as shingles.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “Shingles isn’t a life-threatening condition, but it can be very painful. Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles. Early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications. The most common complication is postherpetic neuralgia, which causes shingles pain for a long time after your blisters have cleared.”
Pain — often the first sign of shingles — can be very intense for some. It is possible to experience pain from shingles without developing a rash. A shingles rash usually manifests as a stripe of blisters that wraps around either side of your torso. It can develop around one eye or on one side of the neck or face.
You are more likely to develop shingles if you:
• Are older than 50.
• Have certain diseases that weaken your immune system, such as HIV/ AIDS and cancer.
• Are undergoing cancer treatments, like radiation or chemotherapy. These can lower your resistance to diseases and may trigger shingles.
• Are taking certain medications, such as drugs designed to prevent rejection of transplanted organs as well as prolonged use of steroids.