Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 August 2010 11:45

Shingles Symptoms

The primary symptom of shingles is the rash of fluid filled blisters. This rash is extremely painful and may be accompanied by flu like symptoms.

Early signs and symptoms of shingles:

Just before the appearance of the telltale rash, you may suffer from:

• Fever Headache

• Enlarged lymph nodes

• Very sensitive and painful skin with tingling or burning around the area of the appearance of the rash

Blister stage and symptoms of shingles:

After a few days, a rash appears. The classical characteristics of the rash are as follows:

• Small fluid-filled blisters, also called vesicles

• Red and swollen surrounding skin

• After three to five days the blisters burst

• Blisters turn into sores

• Gradually the sores dry out to form crusts, also called scabs

• The scabs fall off after two to three weeks

Complications of Shingles

There are a number of possible complications that can result from shingles. Hoever these are more common on those with weakened immune system.

Infection:

• Secondary bacterial infection of the blisters due to scratching; sweating around the breast region; close fitting clothes that cause undue friction.

Shingles on the face:

• Eruptions very close to the eyes, or at the top of the nose, may cause scarring on the cornea; this in turn can affect your vision
• In rare cases, this may lead to a temporary hearing loss, facial paralysis and decreased sense of taste

Post-herpetic neuralgia:

• The most common complication caused by shingles is pain in the area of the rash that stays even after the rash has disappeared. Medically known as post-herpetic neuralgia, this pain is often debilitating and depressing.

Scarring:

• There are a number of possible complications that can result from shingles. Small white spot scars from the blisters are possible but not common.

Encephalitis:

• Which only occurs in rare cases, and causes a high fever and confusion.

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