What Are the Early Signs of Shingles and How Is It Treated?
If you have ever had chickenpox, shingles could affect you at any point in your life. The early signs of shingles are easy to miss or mistake for something else entirely, which is why so many people do not seek treatment quickly enough. Acting early makes a significant difference to how severe the illness becomes and how long it lasts. In this guide, we explain exactly how shingles starts, what the early-stage shingles rash looks like, how the condition is treated, and when you should seek urgent support from a pharmacy. What Exactly Is Shingles? Shingles , known medically as herpes zoster, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus reactivating in the nervous system after lying dormant, sometimes for decades. According to the NHS , it is most common in adults over 50 and in people with a weakened immune system, though anyone who has previously had chickenpox remains at risk throughout their life. Left untreated, shingles can lead to postherpetic neuralgia, a form of long-lasting...