If you’ve ever had the chicken pox, you can also get shingles. [tag-ice]Shingles[/tag-ice] is caused by a localized infection due to the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox.

[tag-tec]Shingles[/tag-tec] only occurs in people who have had chicken pox in the past, and is believed to represent a reactivation of the dormant varicella virus.

Sometimes, emotional stress can cause the reactivation, but the exact reasons or mechanism for this is not known.

One of the first signs for shingles is a tingly feeling on the skin, which may also feel itchy or like a stabbing pain. After a few days, a rash appears which looks like a band or groups of raised dots. Most often, these occur on the face, or on the chest, stomach or back. The infection progresses into small blisters which are filled with fluid. These tend to dry out and crust over the next few days.

When the rash is at its worse, symptoms can range from mild itching to intense pain. The rash and pain will disappear in three to five weeks.

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