What Is Shingles?

Could a childhood illness come back decades later in a completely different form? For shingles, the answer is yes. If you had chickenpox when you were younger, the virus that caused it — the varicella zoster virus — never quite left. It settled quietly in nerve tissue, and years later it can wake up and travel along a nerve to the skin. The short video above, titled simply "Shingles" (about three minutes), puts it plainly: shingles is a painful skin rash, also called herpes zoster, that usually appears in a band, a strip, or a small area on one side of the face or body.

Why does it show up on just one side?

That one-sided pattern is the clue clinicians look for first. Because the reawakened virus follows a single nerve, the rash tends to stay within the strip of skin that nerve supplies. It often starts with tingling, burning, itching, or sensitivity in that area a day or two before anything is visible. Then a red rash appears, followed by small fluid-filled blisters that gradually crust over as they heal. A second video on this site, "Shingles - Herpes Zoster," describes the same picture from another angle — most often a single stripe of blisters wrapping around the left or the right side of the torso. Shingles can also appear on one side of the face, and a rash near the eye needs prompt attention because the eye itself can be affected.

Who tends to get it, and can you catch it?

Shingles itself is not caught from someone else — it is a reactivation of a virus already in your own body. It becomes more likely as we get older, and when the immune system is weakened by illness, stress, or medicines that suppress immunity. There is a nuance worth knowing, though: the fluid in shingles blisters contains the chickenpox virus, so direct contact with an uncovered rash can give chickenpox to someone who has never had chickenpox or its vaccine. Until the blisters crust over, it helps to keep the rash covered and avoid direct contact with newborn babies, pregnant people who have not had chickenpox, and people with a weakened immune system. Once you understand that reactivation idea, prevention makes more sense too — our article on how vaccines work explains how vaccination trains the immune system in advance.

What happens when you see a clinician?

Usually, the pattern tells the story. A clinician can often recognise shingles from the one-sided, band-like rash and the pain that comes with it, sometimes after asking when the tingling started and whether you had chickenpox as a child. If the diagnosis is uncertain — for example, if there is no rash yet, or the rash looks unusual — a swab from a blister can be tested for the virus. You do not normally need a scan or extensive tests for a straightforward case. If the rash is on your face, near an eye, or you have a weakened immune system, expect the clinician to treat the assessment as more urgent.

How is it eased, and what should you watch for?

There is no way to make shingles vanish overnight, but early treatment helps. Antiviral medicines are most useful when started soon after the rash appears, which is why it is worth contacting a clinician promptly rather than waiting to see if it settles — especially if you are older or your immunity is reduced. Pain relief, keeping the rash clean and covered with loose clothing, and cool compresses can make the days while blisters heal more comfortable. Most rashes clear over a few weeks, although the nerve pain can linger after the skin looks better, a longer-lasting ache that is more common in older adults. Seek care quickly if blisters appear near an eye, the rash becomes widespread, signs of skin infection develop, or pain is severe — those situations need a clinician's eye, not home treatment alone.

MedicalVideos.com has published trusted medical videos since 2007. The site was founded by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician-scientist.

Educational only — this article is general information about shingles, not medical advice and not a diagnosis. If you develop a painful one-sided rash, especially on the face or near an eye, contact a clinician promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is shingles the same virus as chickenpox?
Yes. Both are caused by the varicella zoster virus. After chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in nerve tissue and can reactivate years later as shingles, following one nerve to the skin.

Can you catch shingles from someone who has it?
You cannot catch shingles itself. But contact with fluid from shingles blisters can cause chickenpox in someone who has never had chickenpox or its vaccine, which is why keeping the rash covered until it crusts over matters.

How long does shingles last?
The rash and blisters generally heal over a few weeks. Some people, particularly older adults, are left with nerve pain in the same area that fades more slowly — one more reason to seek treatment early.