Shingles and Postherpetic Neuralgia
About This Condition
Shingles is a disease caused by the same virus (Varicella zoster) that causes chicken pox. Acute, painful inflamed blisters form on one side of the trunk along a peripheral nerve.
Shingles usually affects the elderly or people with compromised immune function. Nerve pain that persists after other symptoms have cleared is called postherpetic neuralgia.
Symptoms
Symptoms include pain, itching, or a tingling sensation prior to the appearance of a severely painful skin rash of red, fluid-filled blisters that later crust over. The rash is typically located on the trunk or face and only affects one side of the body. Pain may resolve rapidly or persist in the area of the rash for months to years after the rash disappears.