Signs and Symptoms of Shingles

Early symptoms:
* Sensitivity to light
* Flu-like symptoms without fever

You may then feels symptoms such as:
* Pain, burning, tingling, numbness or extreme sensitivity in a certain part of your body
* A red rash that begins a few days after the pain - the rash will first form blisters, then scab over, and finally clear up over a few weeks.
* Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over
* Itching;tingling
* Fever and chills
* Headache
* Upset stomach or abdominal pain
The rash caused by shingles is more painful than itchy.







Typically, the shingles rash occurs on only one side of your body. This is an important sign to help diagnose shingles. It may appear, for example, as a band of blisters that wraps from the middle of your back around one side of your chest to your breastbone, following the path of the nerve where the virus had been inactive. Sometimes, the shingles rash occurs around one eye or on one side of the neck or face.






Pain is usually the first symptom of shingles. For some, it can be intense, with just the slightest touch causing severe pain. Sometimes the pain can be mistaken for other problems or diseases, such as kidney stones, gallstones or appendicitis, depending on its location. Some people experience the pain without the rash, which makes diagnosing shingles more difficult.

Although the shingles rash may resemble chickenpox, the virus typically causes more pain and less itching the second time around.





Shingles develops in stages:

Prodromal stage (before the rash appears)
* Pain, burning, tickling, tingling, and/or numbness occurs in the area around the affected nerves several days or weeks before a rash appears. The discomfort usually occurs on the chest or back, but it may occur on the abdomen, head, face, neck, or one arm or leg.
* Flu-like symptoms (usually without a fever), such as chills, stomachache, or diarrhea, may develop just before or along with the start of the rash.
* Swelling and tenderness of the lymph nodes may occur.

Active stage (rash and blisters appear)
* A band, strip, or small area of rash appears. It can appear anywhere on the body but will be on only one side of the body, the left or right. Blisters will form. Fluid inside the blister is clear at first but may become cloudy after 3 to 4 days. A few people won't get a rash, or the rash will be mild.
* A rash may occur on the forehead, cheek, nose, and around one eye (herpes zoster ophthalmicus), which may threaten your sight unless you get prompt treatment.
* Pain, described as "piercing needles in the skin," may accompany the skin rash.
* Blisters may break open, ooze, and crust over in about 5 days. The rash heals in about 2 to 4 weeks, although some scars may remain.






Postherpetic neuralgia (chronic pain stage)
* Postherpetic neuralgia is the most common complication of shingles. It lasts for at least 30 days and may continue for months to years. Symptoms are:-
o Aching, burning, stabbing pain in the area of the earlier shingles rash.
o Persistent pain that may linger for years.
o Extreme sensitivity to touch.
* The pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia most commonly affects the forehead or chest, and it may make it difficult for the person to eat, sleep, and perform daily activities. It may also lead to depression.

Shingles may be confused with other conditions that cause similar symptoms of rash or pain, such as herpes simplex infection or appendicitis.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098/DSECTION=symptoms