Symptoms of Shingles

Shingles is a condition, which is caused due to the reactivation of herpes zoster virus. It is the same virus that is responsible for causing chickenpox. Shingles is caused only if you had a chickenpox infection or vaccine in the past. This virus, which causes chickenpox, remains in the body in certain nerve cells. The immune system helps to keep this virus in these cells. But if your immune system becomes weak, may be due to old age, this virus escapes from these cells and causes shingles.

Symptoms of shingles virus begin to develop about 2 to 5 days after the infection. There are many symptoms of shingles. The first symptom of shingles is pain. This is followed by itching, burning, tingling sensation in a certain part of the body. Shingles progresses in three stages: Prodromal stage, Eruptive stage and chronic pain stage. With the progression of the disease the symptoms of shingles become clearer. Given below are the symptoms of shingles associated with each stage:

Prodromal stage of shingles

Prodromal stage of shingles occurs about two to five days before the rash appears. The symptoms of shingles that may appear during the prodromal stage include:

• Fever
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Chills
• Upset stomach, stomachache or diarrhea
• Difficulties with urination
• Pain, tickling, burning, and tingling sensation in the area where the rash is going to appear
• Numbness on one side of the body
• Swelling or tenderness of the lymph nodes may also be a symptom of shingles
• Chest pain when taking breaths

Eruptive stage of shingles

As the disease progresses and moves on to the eruptive stage, a red skin rash appears at the site of the pain along with the blisters, which are filled with clear fluid. The rash and blisters usually appear on just one side of the body. They may also appear on arms, legs, waistline, buttocks or one side of the face or torso. The symptoms of shingles that may appear during the eruptive stage include:

• Redness and swelling of the skin
• Clusters of blisters filled with a clear fluid, which become pimple-like sores
• Blisters may become itchy or mildly irritating
• Blisters or rash may appear as a patch or form a band on one side of the body
• New blisters will continue to appear for up to 5 days
• Within two weeks these blisters are filled with pus and forms a scab
• These blisters may break open, ooze, and crust over in about 5 days
• The rash usually takes about 3 to 5 weeks to heal

Chronic pain stage of shingles (Postherpetic neuralgia)

This is the last stage of shingles. It’s not necessary that all the people who have shingles go through this stage. Postherpetic neuralgia, a condition associated with this stage is the most common complication of shingles, which lasts for about 30 days and may continue for months to years. The symptoms of shingles that may appear during the chronic pain stage include:

• Burning, aching and stabbing pain in the area where the rash or blister had appeared
• Extreme sensitivity to the touch
• Persistent pain that may remain for years
• Depression

The pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia is generally intense and inexorable.

These were the symptoms experienced by the people having shingles. These blisters generally heal by their own. But for the people who develop complications like Postherpetic neuralgia the pain is severe. Therefore if you experience any of the above symptoms of shingles you should immediately seek a medical advice.