Shingles pain how long does it last

Usually, shingles develops on just one side of the body or face, and in a small area. The most common place for shingles to occur is in a band around one side of the waistline.

For some people, the symptoms of shingles are mild. They might just have some itching. For others, shingles can cause intense pain that can be felt from the gentlest touch or breeze. If you notice blisters on your face, see your doctor right away because this is an urgent problem.

Blisters near or in the eye can cause lasting eye damage and blindness. Hearing loss , a brief paralysis of the face, or, very rarely, inflammation of the brain encephalitis can also occur. If you think you might have shingles, talk to your doctor as soon as possible.

The doctor will confirm whether you have shingles and can make a treatment plan. Most cases can be diagnosed from a visual examination, but the doctor may order a shingles test if you have a condition that weakens the immune system.

Although there is no cure for shingles, early treatment with antiviral medications can help the blisters clear up faster and limit severe pain. Shingles can often be treated at home. After the shingles rash goes away, some people may be left with ongoing pain called postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN.

The pain is felt in the area where the rash occurred. The older you are when you get shingles, the greater your chances of developing PHN. Shingles affects the nerves Open pop-up dialog box Close. Shingles affects the nerves The shingles rash is associated with an inflammation of nerves beneath the skin.

Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references AskMayoExpert. Postherpetic neuralgia adult. Rochester, Minn. Bajwa ZH, et al. Postherpetic neuralgia. Accessed Oct. Forstenpointner J, et al. Up-date on clinical management of postherpetic neuralgia and mechanism-based treatment: New options in therapy.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases. Mallick-Searle T, et al. Postherpetic neuralgia: Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and pain management pharmacology.

Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. Shingles: Clinical overview. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you think you have shingles, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Health Home Conditions and Diseases. What causes shingles? Shingles is caused when the chickenpox virus is reactivated. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves for many years. Shingles is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of What are the symptoms of shingles?

However, each person may experience symptoms differently. How is shingles diagnosed? The healthcare provider may also take skin scrapings for testing. How is shingles treated? Specific treatment for shingles will be determined by your healthcare provider based on: Your age, overall health, and medical history How long the shingles have been present some medicines are not as effective if given more than 2 to 3 days after the rash has appeared Extent of the condition Your tolerance for specific medicines, procedures, or therapies Expectations for the course of the condition Your opinion or preference There is no cure for shingles.

Other treatments may include: Creams or lotions to help relieve itching Cool compresses applied to affected skin areas Antiviral medicines such as acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir Steroids Antidepressants Anticonvulsants What are the complications of shingles? The main complications that can result from shingles include: Postherpetic neuralgia PHN. The most common complication of shingles is called postherpetic neuralgia PHN.

This continuous, chronic pain lasts even after the skin lesions have healed. The pain may be severe in the area where the blisters were present. The affected skin may be very sensitive to heat and cold. If you had severe pain during the active rash or have impaired senses, you are at increased risk for PHN.

The elderly are also at greater risk. Early treatment of shingles may prevent PHN. Pain relievers and steroid treatment may be used to treat the pain and inflammation. Other treatments include antiviral drugs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and topical agents.

Bacterial infection.