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Symptoms of Mild Shingles

Shingles is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same organism responsible for chickenpox. Often it is the reactivation of the viral remains of the chickenpox left within a person's system, even if it has been years since the person suffered from this common childhood infection. When a person's immune response is weakened in some way, be it from age or disease, shingles can manifest, causing a number of uncomfortable symptoms.

  1. Pain

    • For most people suffering with mild shingles, they experience a pain that is usually isolated to one side of the body. This pain can manifest in intensity from a slight tingling sensation to a burning. Regardless of the severity of the pain, the skin within the affected region usually becomes more sensitive than normal.

    Numbness

    • While most people with mild shingles experience pain, there is the potential of experiencing a numbness to one side of the body. This numbness is often accompanied by a tingling or prickling sensation within the same region.

    Rash

    • Following either the pain or the numbness, a person with mild shingles usually develops some sort of rash within the affected region of the body, usually in as little as three days. This rash is often red and raised, and sometimes can increase the intensity of the pain or cause a certain amount of itching.

    Blisters

    • Sometimes, this rash develops into a more severe skin inflammation, triggering the formation of blisters along the affected region of the body, even in cases of mild shingles. These blisters are usually filled with fluid, making them prone to breakage and ulceration. Once broken, the blisters can turn to hard, crusty scabs.

    Digestive Issues

    • Along with these more common shingles symptoms, some people suffer from digestive issues. These usually start off as an upset stomach or nausea that later develops into abdominal pain or cramping.

    Fever

    • Shingles, even in mild case, is also known to cause a person to suffer from a mild-to-moderate fever, running anywhere from 99 to 101 degrees F. This fever is often accompanied by cases of "the chills" and periodic headaches.

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