1. The Prodromal Stage
When the herpes zoster virus, dormant since you had the chicken pox, is reactivating in your body, you will show mild symptoms. These are often nonspecific and could be caused by any number of viral infections or neurological conditions. They range from a noticeable abnormal sensitivity to light, touch or friction to tingling and itching. This usually lasts for a week or less, culminating in a growing sensation of itchiness or burning on the skin. This may affect several patches of skin at the waist, arm, leg and face. Your clue that this could be shingles is that it happens on only one side of the body.
2. The Active Stage
The next wave of symptoms can mimic a simple fungal skin rash at first, but it will quickly graduate to more severe signs of a disorder. You'll see one or more red areas on the surface of the skin, with darker red bumps on top. These will be painful to the touch, with a searing or needle-like burning. They will swell into blisters, with more continuing to appear for about a week. These can turn very dark red or almost black. The blisters will go through a cycle of swelling with fluid, bursting, draining and then drying and forming crusts on top. This can go on for 2 weeks to 1 month, accompanied by sharp pain and itching, especially when touched or scraped. With treatment, the blisters will subside, heal properly and disappear.
3. The Chronic Pain Stage
Not everyone experiences postherpetic neuralgia, or persistent pain in the shingles area after the blisters disappear. For many, symptoms depart along with the rash. For others, constant or transitory pain or itching may continue for several months after visible signs are gone. In some cases, the virus may spread to the optical nerves and create a new cycle of symptoms in the eye area.
