 [ Symptoms ] i have a hiatal hernia though i had hernia surgery 5 weeks ago how could this be  my acid reflux is extreme since having the hernia surgery i am very uncomfortable after i eat [ Disease ] shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus the virus that also causes chickenpox in a person who has been exposed to chickenpox    or its vaccine    the virus never really goes away it can lie dormant in the body is nerves in most cases it stays that way but in some    especially people with immune systems weakened by disease or treatment    the virus can reappear this is likely to happen years or decades after the person had chickenpox when it comes back the virus can cause shingles a rash that often appears as a band on one side of the body early shingles symptoms can include headache light sensitivity flu like symptoms without fever itching tingling or extreme pain where the rash is developing may come next and the pain can be moderate to severe are you contagious though people who have not had chickenpox can catch that condition from you the shingles itself is not contagious for reasons that experts do not really understand the pain of shingles lingers for some if the pain lasts for at least four months after the shingles rash appeared a person is diagnosed with phn in some people the pain will subside in others it will not we do not have any idea why the pain goes away in some people and not others  says robert h dworkin phd a professor in the department of anesthesiology at the university of rochester medical center in rochester n y but the longer you have phn    especially after a year    the less likely it is to resolve he says