What Shingles Symptom to Watch Out For

Shingles can strike at anyone. If you have had chicken pox before, you can suffer from a reactivation of the virus and get shingles. Although the elderly and the severely ill are the ones who are most at risk, shingles can also affect people who experience a temporary weakening of the immune system. If you want to watch out for shingles, then you should watch out for a typical shingles symptom.

Shingles Pain

Some think that the first shingles symptom is a rash. The sensation of pain however is a shingles symptom that usually precedes rashes. Pain is experienced first primarily because of the action of the shingles virus. Once a person gets chicken pox, the virus that causes it will find its way to a nerve near the spinal cord where it will lie dormant for many years. Once it is reactivated, it will begin to multiply, causing the nerve to inflame, thus resulting in a painful sensation. Different people report varying degrees of this shingles symptom. Shingles pain can be a slight tingling feeling or an excruciating stabbing pain. In a lot of cases, patients report terrible pain.

Shingles Rashes

After the initial pain, a second shingles symptom will follow. Red rash like points may emerge on the skin which in time will develop into blisters filled with fluid. Some individuals report a worsening of pain as the rashes appear. This shingles symptom is usually situated on the chest, back and on the face. They are however always found only on one side of the affected area. Rashes on the back particularly look like one half of a belt. Rashes on the face should be particular points of concern since they may lead to vision impairment if not properly treated. People who have never had chicken pox and have not been immunized may catch the virus and get chicken pox if they come in direct contact with fresh blisters. Blisters are no longer contagious only when they crust over.

Other Symptoms

Aside from the pain and rashes, one other shingles symptom is the general feeling of not feeling well. Fever, chills, stomach pains, headache and fatigue are the particular sensations that people with shingles experience. These symptoms are often associated with the flu.

What to Do

As soon as you notice the first few signs of a shingles symptom, you should immediately seek medical advice. There is a possibility that not paying attention to an early shingles symptom may result in complications such as persistent chronic pain even after the rashes are gone, vision impairment, hearing impairment and encephalitis. Once diagnosed, your doctor will prescribe antiviral medication and other possible medications depending on your age and the severity of your condition.

What You Can Do at Home

Non prescription, over the counter medication may be used at home to help relieve the pain of shingles. Antibiotics may also help reduce the possibility of fresh blisters getting infected. A wet tap water compress may be used on the blisters to help reduce the pain. While recuperating, you might be required to avoid too much sun exposure.