Generally, shingles heal well and problems are few. However, on occasion, the blisters can become infected with bacteria, causing cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the skin. If this occurs, the area will become reddened, warm, firm, and tender. You might notice red streaks forming around the wound. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your health-care professional. Antibiotics can be used to treat these complications.

Shingles isn’t infectious in the same way as chickenpox, where the virus can be passed on to other people by coughs and sneezes. However, the virus can be passed on by direct contact with fluid from shingles blisters, until they dry up and crust over. This can cause chickenpox in people who aren’t already immune to it. People with shingles should avoid contact with people who have a lowered immunity, babies or pregnant women (see Who is most likely to get shingles?). If the rash is covered, the virus is less likely to be spread.

Shingles symptoms generally disappear within three to five weeks. However, treatment is recommended to help encourage shingles pain relief. Your health care provider can offer you oral antiviral medications, including acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir, in order to speed up the course of the shingles disease. You may also be prescribed pain relieving medications, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Shingles symptoms happen in stages. At first you may have a headache or be sensitive to light. You may also feel like you have the flu but not have a fever. Later, you may feel itching, tingling, or pain in a certain area. Thatâ??s where a band, strip, or small area of rash may occur a few days later. The rash turns into clusters of blisters. The blisters fill with fluid and then crust over. It takes 2 to 4 weeks for the blisters to heal, and they may leave scars. Some people only get a mild rash, and some do not get a rash at all.

Doctors can distinguish shingles from chickenpox (or dermatitis or poison ivy) by the way the spots are distributed. Since shingles occurs in an area of the skin that is supplied by sensory fibers of a single nerve–called a dermatome–the rash usually appears in a well-defined band on one side of the body, typically the torso; or on one side of the face, around the nose and eyes. (Shingles’ peculiar name derives from the Latin cingulum, which means girdle or belt.) If a diagnosis is in doubt, lab tests can confirm the presence of the virus.

The severity and duration of an attack of shingles can be significantly reduced by immediate treatment with antiviral drugs, which include acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famcyclovir. Antiviral drugs may also help stave off the painful aftereffects of shingles known as postherpetic neuralgia (see section entitled “What are the Complications of Shingles?). Doctors now recommend starting antiviral drugs within 72 hours of the first sign of the shingles rash. Early treatment is believed to reduce the risk of postherpetic neuralgia and may speed up the healing process.

Shingles is distinctive because it affects only one side of the body. Shingles is derived from the Latin and French words for belt or girdle, reflecting distribution of the rash in a broad band. The chickenpox virus (varicella) remains in a dormant state in the body in the root of nerves that control sensation. The majority of people with shingles, however, are healthy. No special tests need to be done to see if your immune system is strong. It occurs only in people who have had chickenpox in the past and represents a reactivation of the dormant varicella virus.

What causes shingles?

Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus “sleeps” (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus “wakes up” when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.

Symptoms

The main symptom of shingles is often extreme sensitivity or pain in a broad band on one side of the body. The pain and general symptoms subside gradually as the eruption disappears. In uncomplicated cases recovery is complete in 2-3 weeks in children and young adults, and 3 to 4 weeks in older patients. The pain may be just in one spot or it may spread out. The patient usually feels quite unwell with fever and headache. The lymph nodes draining the affected area are often enlarged and tender.

Before a rash is visible, the patient may notice several days to a week of burning pain and sensitive skin. Before the rash is visible, it may be difficult to determine the cause of the often severe pain. Shingles start as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for three to five days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that comes out of the spinal cord (called a dermatomal pattern). The entire path of the nerve may be involved or there may be areas with blisters and areas without blisters.

Treatment

Antiviral medications are also routinely prescribed in severe cases of shingles or when the eye is affected. Such treatment needs to begin within three days of getting the rash to be effective, so if you suspect you have shingles, see your doctor immediately. For reasons that are not completely understood, some PHN patients get no relief from pain medication, and what works in one case may not be effective in another.

The severity and duration of an attack of shingles can be significantly reduced by immediate treatment with antiviral drugs, which include acyclovir, valacyclovir, or famcyclovir. Antiviral drugs may also help stave off the painful aftereffects of shingles known as postherpetic neuralgia (see section entitled “What are the Complications of Shingles?). Doctors now recommend starting antiviral drugs within 72 hours of the first sign of the shingles rash. Early treatment is believed to reduce the risk of postherpetic neuralgia and may speed up the healing process.

Shingles occur primarily in two stages – the Prodromal stage and the Eruptive stage.

Symptoms of shingles in the Prodromal stage (2 to 5 days before the appearance of rashes), there is a chilly feeling, nausea, headache and fever that is followed by a feeling of lack of sensation on a side of the face or body. And then comes the severe pain, burning and scratchy feeling that may last long or just be intermittent. At this stage the pain is accompanied by the scratchy feeling that happens on any side of the body or the face.

In the Eruptive stage however reddish flush appears along with blisters (singly or in clusters) on the skin. These are filled with a clear fluid and are sensitive to the touch. New blisters continue to form for up to 5 or more days, depending on the intensity of the outbreak. They may be found all over the place and may also run in a continuous band form. Incidentally, they appear almost like chicken pox. Severe pain, scratchy and somewhat irritating – this is how the blisters feel.

After about 15 days, the clear fluid contained within the blisters change color and begins to get translucent as compared to their original transparent look, ultimately resembling small sets of pearls on the skin. This is when they are filled with pus. Scabs begin to get formed.

Though the blisters generally do not leave any undesirable tell tale marks on the skin but some discoloration stays for quite sometime even after the skin is free of them.

A significant fact about shingles is that the blisters almost always appear on one side of the body – the torso, one side of the face, arms, legs or the waistline. When diagnosing shingles, and its symptoms, this factor need to kept in mind. Also, in some cases, urticaria or ‘hives’ may form instead of blisters, but nevertheless, they also are symptoms for shingles.

In some cases, the shingles rash may look as those of Poison Oak or Poison Ivy at the initial stage but the confusion will be cleared in a few days when the blisters start forming since none of the other two have any such manifestations. In case of doubt, fluid collected from the blisters may be tested in a laboratory to confirm the infection.

Shingles is a reactivation of the herpes zoster virus (varicella-zoster virus, or VZV). This same virus causes the childhood illness chickenpox. The chickenpox virus (varicella) remains in a dormant state in the body in the root of nerves that control sensation. Inflammation and scarring of the cornea, along with conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva) and iritis (inflammation of the iris) are typical problems. Shingles manifests as a vesicular rash, usually in a single dermatome. Development of the rash may be preceded by paresthesias or pain along the involved dermatome. Ocular involvement and zoster keratitis may result if reactivation occurs along the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. Anyone who has previously had chickenpox may subsequently develop shingles. They can be male or female, young or old. In general, it is more common in older adults and certainly tends to be more severe in this group.

Shingles is more common and more severe in patients with poor immunity. Blisters can occur in more than one area and the virus may affect internal organs, including the gastrointestinal tract, the lungs and the brain.

What are the symptoms of shingles?

Shingles causes a painful, blistering rash. Sometimes the pain starts a few days before the rash appears.

The rash begins with reddish bumps. In a few days, these bumps turn into blisters. You might feel a stinging or burning pain. The rash may wrap around your back and chest, or it may be on one side of your face.

The blisters usually crust over and fall off after 7 to 10 days. You may see changes in the color of your skin when the scabs fall off. In bad cases of shingles, these color changes last forever.

Shingles Causes

No one knows for sure what causes the chickenpox virus to become activated to cause shingles. Some possibilities include the following:

* Stress

* Fatigue

* A weakened immune system (This may be age-related,

What is the treatment for shingles?

Most cases of shingles resolve on their own without specific treatment. Two medications available for use by physicians in treating immunocompromised patients are vidarabine and acyclovir.

What can be to done prevent the spread of shingles?

Chickenpox must be prevented in order to prevent shingles. A vaccine for chickenpox is now available and it is hoped that immunized individuals will be less likely to develop shingles in later life.

Shingles or the Herpes Zoster may not need a doctor to identify. In fact, the person affected by the ailment can easily diagnose it by the symptoms that are hard to miss. It usually starts with a headache, sensitivity to light, and a feeling of chilliness and nausea with or without a fever. There is also itching, tingling and acute pain where the rash will ultimately develop. The intensity of the pain can be felt as quick stabs of throbbing and stinging ache, making the patient twitchy and restless.
Shingles occur primarily in two stages – the Prodromal stage and the Eruptive stage.
Symptoms of shingles in the Prodromal stage (2 to 5 days before the appearance of rashes), there is a chilly feeling, nausea, headache and fever that is followed by a feeling of lack of sensation on a side of the face or body. And then comes the severe pain, burning and scratchy feeling that may last long or just be intermittent. At this stage the pain is accompanied by the scratchy feeling that happens on any side of the body or the face.
In the Eruptive stage however reddish flush appears along with blisters (singly or in clusters) on the skin. These are filled with a clear fluid and are sensitive to the touch. New blisters continue to form for up to 5 or more days, depending on the intensity of the outbreak. They may be found all over the place and may also run in a continuous band form. Incidentally, they appear almost like chicken pox. Severe pain, scratchy and somewhat irritating – this is how the blisters feel.
After about 15 days, the clear fluid contained within the blisters change color and begins to get translucent as compared to their original transparent look, ultimately resembling small sets of pearls on the skin. This is when they are filled with pus. Scabs begin to get formed.
Though the blisters generally do not leave any undesirable tell tale marks on the skin but some discoloration stays for quite sometime even after the skin is free of them.
A significant fact about shingles is that the blisters almost always appear on one side of the body – the torso, one side of the face, arms, legs or the waistline. When diagnosing shingles, and its symptoms, this factor need to kept in mind. Also, in some cases, urticaria or ‘hives’ may form instead of blisters, but nevertheless, they also are symptoms for shingles.
In some cases, the shingles rash may look as those of Poison Oak or Poison Ivy at the initial stage but the confusion will be cleared in a few days when the blisters start forming since none of the other two have any such manifestations. In case of doubt, fluid collected from the blisters may be tested in a laboratory to confirm the infection.
Symptoms for shingles may also be gathered from a blood count that will reveal elevated number of WBC or white blood cells. A significant rise in the antibody to the virus is another symptom of shingles

Shingles also known as herpes zostrer. Shingles is a same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles can cause several problems with the eye and surrounding skin that may have long term effects. Inflammation and scarring of the cornea, along with conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva) and iritis (inflammation of the iris) are typical problems. Shingles manifests as a vesicular rash, usually in a single dermatome. Development of the rash may be preceded by paresthesias or pain along the involved dermatome. Ocular involvement and zoster keratitis may result if reactivation occurs along the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. A pproximately 95% of adults in the United States have antibodies to the varicella-zoster virus. Approximately 80% of cases occur in persons older than 20 years. Shingles may be associated with a secondary bacterial infection (typically streptococcal or staphylococcal) of the vesicular rash. Shingles may be complicated by a condition known as post-herpetic neuralgia. Shingles causes a wide range of problems affecting the skin and the eye. Shingles involving the second branch of the trigeminal nerve may be associated with conjunctivitis, keratitis, corneal ulceration, iridocyclitis, glaucoma, and blindness. Shingles is treated with anti-viral, pain and anti-inflammatory medications. Eye drops and ointments may be prescribed to treat ocular problems. Cimetidine, a common component of over-the-counter heartburn medication. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, may occasionally be used to reduce inflammation and risk of post-herpetic neuralgia.

Treatment with famciclovir (Famvir) may significantly reduce pain and hasten recovery from an acute attack. Topical creams containing capsaicin may provide some relief from pain. Cover shingles lesions with a clean cloth or loose-fitting gauze after cleansing. Avoid contact with the skin lesions of persons with known herpes zoster infection. Cool wet compresses can be used to reduce pain. Soothing baths and lotions, such as colloidal oatmeal bath, starch baths, or lotions and calamine lotion, may help to relieve itching and discomfort. Trim fingernails to reduce the chance of bacterial infection from scratching. Avoid wearing tight clothing over the rash because this could irritate the rash. Avoid exposure to warm and hot water because this could lead to further itching.

Shingles Treatment and Prevention Tips

1. Antidepressant medicines, such as a tricyclic antidepressant.

2. Topical anesthetics, such as lidocaine patches, to numb the area.

3. Anticonvulsant medicines, such as gabapentin or pregabalin.

4. Calamine lotion may help to soothe the rash.

5. Capsaicin is also growing in popularity as a pain treatment

6. Apply cool compresses over the zoster lesions or take a cool bath twice a day.

7. Avoid exposure to warm and hot water because this could lead to further itching.

8. Cover shingles lesions with a clean cloth or loose-fitting gauze after cleansing.

9. Trim fingernails to reduce the chance of bacterial infection from scratching.

10. Avoid wearing tight clothing over the rash because this could irritate the rash.

Shingles Symptoms – Rate of Occurrence

Shingles symptoms increase in occurrence, with post-herpetic neuralgia, with each decade of life. Symptoms from the herpes zoster virus derive from outbreaks in the two primary tissues for herpes viruses -  nerve tissue and skin tissue. When a latent virus has the opportunity to bloom, even decades after the initial chickenpox outbreak, the primary symptoms show up in the ends of nerves just under the skin, then the skin itself.

Phase 1: The Prodromal Stage

First timers with are often surprised with the diagnosis of shingles. They may start out feeling as though they have the flu – fever, chills, headache, and nausea. These are merely the symptoms that appear before the rash breaks out. Medical people call this pre-rash phase the prodromal stage.

Although these viruses are out of reach from your immune system when they are latent and also when they are traveling through nerve fibers, this is a good time to boost your immunity in preparation for the outbreak that is coming. Herbs that have antiviral and immune-boosting activity would be most helpful at this time (e.g., creosote bush). Antiviral drugs suppress the immune system, which makes them seem like a bad idea right when you want to get your body ready for the battle.

A rash may not appear for another 2 to 5 days after the prodromal stage begins. As the appearance of the rash approaches, several additional symptoms appear. These include numbness, a tingling or burning sensation, burning pain, or itching.

Phase 2: The Eruptive Stage

This is when the blisters and pain that normally characterize a shingles outbreak become apparent. Blisters filled with clear fluid may continue to appear for up to 5 days. They look a lot like chickenpox. Although blisters typically occur on just one side of the torso, they occasionally  encircle the body. They may also appear in other places, including buttocks, arms, legs, and face.

Shingles blisters can be intensely painful or merely mildly itchy or irritating. Many sufferers feel the need to wear loose clothing so as to keep anything from touching the skin. The eruptive stage can continue for two weeks, during which time the blisters become filled with pus and then begin to  scab over. By the time scabs begin to form, the outbreak no longer contains any virus particles. Ideally, the rash disappears within 3-5 weeks.

It is best to apply creams or lotions that contain antiviral herbs as soon as an outbreak begins, or even just before the first blister appears. Creosote bush, soapbark tree, and lemon balm are generally available for such topical applications. Prescription drug creams also work at this stage. You may have to experiment to find which kind of product helps you the most. My choice is for natural products.

Long-Term Pain: Post-Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN)

Some people experience continued severe pain (i.e., PHN) that may last months or even years. PHN can be extremely painful and very difficult to handle. Antiviral drugs are ineffective for PHN because the virus is already gone by the time it sets in. Symptomatic treatment of the pain and inflammation offers the most effective help for PHN.

Anti-inflammatory creams and oils that DO NOT contain warming ingredients (such as capsaicin) will help keep down the pain-causing inflammation. General products that offer help for inflammatory skin disorders can be helpful. A short list of these would include emu oil (YES – not an herb!), vitamin E oil, creosote bush lotion, and lemon balm cream.

What Else Can You Do?

Diet, nutrition, vitamins, amino acids, herbs, and even tai chi have effects on the symptoms of shingles. Sometimes they are positive and sometimes they are not. A few of the best general strategies are outlined in my short report, “Controlling Shingles Naturally.” You can a copy at no charge when you subscribe to my newsletter, Shingles Research Updates, via the form at the top of this page.

All the best in natural health,

Dr. D

I’m glad you found me, and I am convinced that your life will be better because you are here. My research on plant natural products over the past 35-plus years shows that Mother Nature still offers the best approach to much of what ails people. This blog is dedicated to providing you with the best information and resources that I can find from the natural world that can help you control shingles. This health issue is plaguing more of us all the time, and in my opinion it is absolutely unnecessary. I will be writing articles and reviews of research about shingles on a regular basis, and either putting them on this blog or providing links to them for easy access to you. Visit, read, and enjoy the benefits of what I have to say.

Dr. D