what is a typical course of shingles like

by Percy Haag 10 min read

Most cases of shingles last three to five weeks. The first sign is often burning or tingling pain; sometimes it includes numbness or itching on one side of the body. Somewhere between one and five days after the tingling or burning feeling on the skin, a red rash will appear.

What does shingles look like in the beginning?

When the rash starts, you may notice pink or red blotchy patches on one side of your body. These patches cluster along nerve pathways. Some people report feeling shooting pain in the area of the rash. During this initial stage, shingles is not contagious.

When do shingles symptoms peak?

Typically, the peak pain of shingles is felt within 4 or 5 days after the first symptoms develop, and it comes along with a blistering rash. As the blisters scab over, the pain usually starts to disappear. In some cases, the pain does not go away.Aug 23, 2021

Can shingles spread to other parts of the body?

The virus travels in specific nerves, so you will often see shingles occur in a band on one side of your body. This band corresponds to the area where the nerve transmits signals. The shingles rash stays somewhat localized to an area. It doesn't spread over your whole body.Feb 2, 2022

How painful is shingles on a scale of 1 to 10?

“Shingles is extremely painful," Wigand-Bolling said. “On a scale from one to 10, most patients will say the pain ranges from six to 10.” Between 1 and 5 days after the first symptoms occur, a rash will develop in the affected area.Dec 23, 2021

What are the final stages of shingles?

The 4 stages of shingles and how the condition progressesThe stages of shingles are tingling pain, followed by a burning feeling and a red rash, then blistering, and finally the blisters will crust over.You will typically develop a rash about 1-5 days after you feel numbness or tingling pain.More items...•Aug 13, 2020

Can you share a bed with someone who has shingles?

Shingles — also known as herpes zoster — is a condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles itself is not contagious. It can't spread from one person to another.

What does internal shingles feel like?

Internal shingles can cause symptoms such as persistent pain, fever, cough, abdominal pain, and headache. When shingles affects internal organs, it's a serious complication that requires urgent medical attention.

What triggers an outbreak of shingles?

Shingles is caused when the chickenpox virus is reactivated. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves for many years. Shingles is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of 50.

Overview

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Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you've had c…
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Symptoms

  • The signs and symptoms of shingles usually affect only a small section of one side of your body. These signs and symptoms may include: 1. Pain, burning, numbness or tingling 2. Sensitivity to touch 3. A red rash that begins a few days after the pain 4. Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over 5. Itching Some people also experience: 1. Fever 2. Headache 3. Sensitivity to light 4. …
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Causes

  • Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. Anyone who's had chickenpox may develop shingles. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus enters your nervous system and lies dormant for years. Eventually, it may reactivate and travel along nerve pathways to your skin — producing shingles. But, not everyone who's had chickenpox will …
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Risk Factors

  • Anyone who has ever had chickenpox can develop shingles. Most adults in the United States had chickenpox when they were children, before the advent of the routine childhood vaccination that now protects against chickenpox. Factors that may increase your risk of developing shingles include: 1. Being older than 50.Shingles is most common in people older than 50. The risk increa…
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Complications

  • Complications from shingles can include: 1. Postherpetic neuralgia.For some people, shingles pain continues long after the blisters have cleared. This condition is known as postherpetic neuralgia, and it occurs when damaged nerve fibers send confused and exaggerated messages of pain from your skin to your brain. 2. Vision loss.Shingles in or around an eye (ophthalmic shingle…
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Prevention

  • A shingles vaccine may help prevent shingles. People who are eligible to get it should get the Shingrix vaccine in the U.S. In the United States, Shingrix was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017. Studies suggest that Shingrix offers protection against shingles for more than five years. Shingrix is a nonliving vaccine made of a virus component. It is given in tw…
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