Shingles symptoms

Shingles is another name for herpes zoster. It is a viral infection leading to painful rashes in the body – appearing as a band of blisters wrapping from your back, then around one side of the chest going to your breastbone. Or sometimes, it may occur on one side of the face or neck, or around one eye. Other parts of the body may be involved too, like your scalp, face or neck.

Shingles symptoms may include the following:

• Abdominal pain or upset stomach
• Headache
• Chills and fever
• Itching
• Fluid-filled blisters that crust over and break open
• Red rash
• Extreme sensitivity or numbness, tingling, burning, or pain

The shingles rash typically appears only on one side of the body. It’s very important that you know this to determine if it is shingles or not.

Usually, the first symptom is pain – intense, severe pain. Sometimes, this pain might be mistaken as another problem or disease such as appendicitis, gallstones, or kidney stones depending on the location.

Typically, after a few days of pain, the other shingles symptoms begin to appear such as blisters and red bumps erupting on the skin. These will be filled with pus, and then will form scabs within 10-12 days. After the disappearance of the rash, the scabs will fall off within 2-3 weeks, wherein scarring may result.

Seek medical care if you have rash or pain only on one side of your body. Antiviral medications will be given immediately if you have blisters on your nose, and especially near your eyes, as the virus may spread causing loss of vision. You should also be attended by a doctor right away if you have another illness that decreased your ability to fight infections.

The worst scenario would be having shingles symptoms at the same time as having a high fever. If you experience this, and if the blisters are fast spreading throughout your body, you should go to the hospital right away.