If, like 90% of UK adults, you have ever had chickenpox, there is a 1 in 4 chance you will develop shingles at some point in your lifetime.

Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is a condition that is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus. Once you’ve had chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in your body until it is reactivated, causing shingles. It is not fully known what causes the virus to reactivate, but anyone who has had chickenpox could develop shingles in later life, often many years after the original chickenpox infection. It tends to occur more frequently in people aged 50 years or older. It usually causes a rash on one side of the body. The symptoms of shingles are usually mild but can be very unpleasant for some. Shingles usually starts with a headache, fever, and tiredness, and you are likely to feel unwell. It’s very common to feel a burning pain somewhere on the body, which may become extreme. Within a few days to three weeks this area of pain will start to develop a red rash, which will turn into fluid-filled blisters. When these painful blisters burst they will then turn into sores that will eventually crust over and heal. Most people recover but some people continue to feel extreme pain in the area of the rash that can remain for many months, or in extreme cases even years. This is known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN can prevent sufferers from living a normal life, and for some even a slight breeze against the skin can be painful and distressing. Shingles varies from person to person and some people will require treatment. See your GP as soon as possible, ideally within 72 hours of the rash occurring. Most people do not have any long-term effects, but for some shingles can cause complications. If shingles develops in the eye it can lead to decreased vision or even permanent blindness in the affected eye. It is possible to prevent shingles. See your GP who can give you more information. Other sources of information include www.shinglesaware.co.uk or the Shingles Support Society, 41 North Road, London N7 9DP who have a helpline (0845 123 2305) and a website (www.shinglessupport.org)