What Are The Symptoms Of Shingles?

What are the symptoms of shingles? Before you learn the symptoms of this disease, you first need to understand what it is. Shingles can strike adults with weakened immune systems. This disease comes from the chicken pox virus. Chicken pox remains dormant in your nerve cells until a trigger releases it. Triggers include cancer, illness and the aging process. Here's a breakdown of the symptoms and how they affect you.

1. Pain. Pain is usually the first sign and symptom of shingles accompanied by nausea, chills and diarrhea. These symptoms are called the prodromal stage, or first stages of shingles. The pain occurs on one side of your body and is described as intense or burning. It could be in the face or body. You may brush it off as a body ache and take something to ease the pain. However, it becomes more serious when it's followed by a rash.
2. Rash. The rash can present itself on any area of your body, especially the trunk. It begins as tiny red bumps that evolve into watery blisters. This is the eruptive stage, or stage two. The rash continues to worsen over a period of 3 to 5 days with the formation of new blisters. Since the nervous system is involved with shingles, the blisters will form where a nerve is located. They tend to follow the pattern of the nerve infected.
3. After a period of time, the blisters break open and ooze pus. They will form a crust and begin to heal. Some rashes will itch and cause intense irritation. You should never scratch the blisters. This can cause an infection and increase your pain.

These are the symptoms of shingles. The intensity may vary in each individual. Once a doctor diagnoses the disease, there are medications and treatments you can take.