You probably know shingles as a nasty rash that creeps across one side of the body.
Most people picture the blisters and leave it at that. The very first signals rarely look like a rash at all.
Shingles can be treated with antiviral medication, and the drugs work best when started within 72 hours of the rash appearing.
According to the CDC, warning signs can arrive several days before any rash is visible on the skin.
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About 1 in every 3 people in the United States will have shingles in their lifetime, the CDC estimates.
Roughly one million Americans get it each year. It is caused by the same virus behind chickenpox, which can quietly reactivate decades later.
What the early signs feel like
A rash appears 1 to 5 days after the burning and tingling begin, according to Medical News Today. During that window, health authorities describe seven warning signs worth knowing.
- Burning or shooting pain on one side of the body, usually in a small area.
- Tingling, numbness or pins-and-needles sensations in the skin.
- Itching in the exact spot where the rash will later appear.
- Skin that hurts to the touch, even to light pressure from clothing.
- Fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell.
- Headache.
- Fever, chills or an upset stomach.
The signals almost always appear on just one side of the body. They often follow a stripe that matches a single nerve. That one-sided, band-like pattern is the clue that sets shingles apart from general aches.
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Why the 72-hour window matters so much
Shingles is treated with prescription antivirals such as acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir.
The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that these drugs have only been shown to help in patients who started them within 72 hours of the rash appearing.
Starting antivirals early shortens the outbreak and lowers the risk of complications. The most feared one is postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN, a long-term nerve pain that can linger for months or even years after the rash has faded.
The CDC says 10% to 18% of people who get shingles also develop PHN. The risk rises sharply with age, and people younger than 40 rarely experience it.
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When to call your doctor
Burning or tingling on one side of the body is not proof of shingles. If it appears in a stripe pattern, especially alongside fatigue, headache or fever, it deserves a same-day call to your doctor so antivirals can start inside the 72-hour window.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.