Shingles Symptoms
What is shingles
Shingles is actually caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox - varicella-zoster virus. What happens after you recover from chicken pox is that the virus lies dormant in your nerve tissue. When your immunity drops (which often happens as we age or if your are on chemotherapy or under a lot of stress), the virus can re-emerge as shingles. It usually appears as a rash or blisters along a nerve pathway (the more common areas are along one side of the body or face) - it generally causes considerable pain.
Shingle symptoms
- a burning or shooting pain with tingling sensations on one side of the body or face
- itching associated with the rash or blisters that appear along a nerve pathway
- rash usually disappears after 2 weeks.
- postherpetic neuralgia is a condition that occurs in some where the pain persists for months even after the rash has disappeared.
- shingles affecting the eye could result in corneal scarring
- hearing problems could result in shingles affecting the nerves supplying the ear.
Not all symptoms may be present and if you do suspect shingles, see your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. People with shingles can infect others who have never had chicken pox before, ie you can catch chicken pox from someone who has shingles.
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Shingles Symptoms