If you can remember what the chicken pox was like, you can understand what shingles feels like. Shingles is commonly described as the “adult” version of chicken pox. Many of us get chicken pox when we are young, and the virus that causes it, varicella-zoster, sleeps at the roots of our nerves forever in some, awakening years later for others.
Shingles usually appears in people age 50 or older. It can be brought on by stress, a weak immune system, or disease. It is a viral infection that occurs in stages. First it starts out as a headache, sensitivity to light, or as flu-like symptoms. It later becomes an itching or tingling in one area of the body and turns into a rash. Shortly after these symptoms appear, blister clusters begin to form that fill with fluid and crust over with time, leaving scarring on rare occasions.
Every shingles case is different. Some only develop a mild rash, and others do not get a rash at all. Generally I find people are afraid that the rash will spread once they have identified it on their body, however, shingles tends to stay in one general area in specific patterns, because it lives in the sensory nerves. While you cannot catch shingles if you have had chicken pox, it is best to stay away from public places so you do not spread it to people who have not had chicken pox. These people are the most easily affected.
If you feel like you might have shingles, it is best to contact your doctor right away. The earlier you catch it, the better. Typically they will prescribe anti-viral medications, or over-the-counter pain medication. Applying cool, wet compresses to the affected areas also help, as well as possibly a starch bath, which has been known to help with agitated skin conditions. While there is no cure for shingles, there are many options available for treating the symptoms. Just make sure to try and catch it early!
References:
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/shingles-topic-overview
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001861/
