shingles (herpes zoster) are an outbreak of rash or blisters on the skin that is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox - the varicella-zoster virus. the first sign of shingles is often burning or tingling pain or sometimes numbness in or under the skin. you may also feel ill with fever chills headache or upset stomach. after several days a rash of small fluid-filled blisters reminiscent of chickenpox appears on reddened skin. the pain associated with shingles can be intense and is often described as "unrelenting. " anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for shingles. scientists think that in the original battle with varicella-zoster some of the virus particles leave the skin blisters and move into the nervous system. when the varicella-zoster virus reactivates the virus moves back down the long nerve fibers that extend from the sensory cell bodies to the skin and cause the characteristic blisters of shingles.
what is shingles?