How do you know if you have internal shingles?

Internal shingles (Zoster Sine Herpete) involves nerve pain, burning, itching, or numbness, often without a rash, accompanied by general symptoms like headache, fever, fatigue, chills, and body aches, potentially affecting organs with symptoms like abdominal pain or cough, mimicking other issues like stomach bugs or heart problems, and requires prompt medical care.

What are the symptoms of inside shingles?

Internal shingles (Zoster Sine Herpete) involves nerve pain, burning, itching, or numbness, often without a rash, accompanied by general symptoms like headache, fever, fatigue, chills, and body aches, potentially affecting organs with symptoms like abdominal pain or cough, mimicking other issues like stomach bugs or heart problems, and requires prompt medical care.
 

What are silent shingles?

Shingles without a rash is called zoster sine herpete (ZSH) or internal shingles. This type of shingles is rare since most people with shingles develop a telltale rash on one side of their body. ZSH is caused by the same virus, varicella -zoster virus (VZV), that causes chickenpox and typical shingles (herpes zoster).

What is mistaken for internal shingles?

Diagnosing internal shingles can be tricky because many of the usual signs aren't there. Without these clear symptoms, internal shingles is often mistaken for other conditions, such as scabies, herpes simplex, or even common nerve pain.

Can you get rid of internal shingles?

No, there's no cure for the shingles virus itself, as the varicella-zoster virus stays in your body forever, but early treatment with antivirals (like acyclovir, valacyclovir) can significantly speed recovery, reduce the pain, and prevent serious complications, even for internal shingles (zoster sine herpete), which can occur without a rash but with severe pain and other symptoms. Managing internal shingles involves antivirals, pain relief, and supportive care, with early intervention crucial for the best outcome.
 

Shingles: What You Should Know | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Can shingles affect your bowel movements?

Yes, shingles (Herpes Zoster) can affect bowel movements, usually causing constipation or even bowel pseudo-obstruction (like Ogilvie's Syndrome) due to viral nerve involvement, especially with sacral or abdominal nerve irritation, leading to slow intestinal movement. This gastrointestinal issue is rare but serious, sometimes appearing before the rash and affecting bladder function too.
 

How long will internal shingles last?

Internal shingles typically lasts 2 to 5 weeks, with most people recovering within 3 to 5 weeks, though symptoms like pain can persist longer, potentially developing into chronic postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Early antiviral treatment is crucial to shorten the duration and prevent complications, which can include nerve damage, vision problems, or, rarely, meningitis or encephalitis.
 

What type of bloodwork checks for internal shingles?

A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test.

In some cases, other fluids may be used, but the results may not always be as accurate. The PCR test can get results quickly and is the most useful test for confirming a VZV infection.

What kind of doctor treats internal shingles?

Neurology's Role in Shingles Treatment

Neurologists are physicians who specialize in disorders of the nervous system, including conditions like shingles that can affect the nerves.

What seems like shingles but isn't?

A rash that looks like shingles but isn't could be eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis (like poison ivy), herpes simplex (HSV), impetigo, or even ringworm, all causing redness, bumps, blisters, or scales that mimic shingles' painful, one-sided eruption. Key differences: shingles is usually intensely painful/tingly and forms a band, while other rashes might be more itchy, widespread, or have distinct triggers, but only a doctor can confirm the cause for proper treatment. 

What are enteric shingles?

Enteric shingles occur internally along the digestive track and can affect the esophagus, stomach, and large and small intestines. It causes unexplained and chronic abdominal pain, and has been found in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn disease.

What happens if internal shingles go untreated?

Complications. The virus that causes internal shingles can spread to different parts of the body, affecting organs like the eyes, brain, and ears. Complications include neurological conditions and brain inflammation.

Where is the most common place to get shingles on your body?

Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals. The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.

What do you do if you have internal shingles?

Internal shingles treatment focuses on antiviral drugs (like valacyclovir, acyclovir) to fight the virus, pain relievers (NSAIDs, gabapentin, amitriptyline) for nerve pain, and sometimes corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, all aimed at speeding recovery and preventing severe complications like post-herpetic neuralgia, with early intervention crucial for best results. 

What are the first signs of shingles in adults?

Early signs of shingles in adults often start with pain, burning, tingling, or itching on one side of the body or face, followed by fever, headache, fatigue, and light sensitivity, with the characteristic red, blistering rash appearing a few days later in a stripe pattern. Recognizing these initial sensations is crucial for prompt treatment to reduce severity and complications like long-term nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia).
 

Can COVID cause internal shingles?

COVID illness weakens the immune system, and that can give the virus a chance to wake up and cause shingles. Here's what the research shows so far: A review of studies found that people with COVID illness were twice as likely to develop shingles compared to people who did not get sick with COVID.

What organs can be affected by shingles?

Shingles in or around an eye (ophthalmic shingles) can cause painful eye infections that may result in vision loss. Neurological problems. Shingles may cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), facial paralysis, or problems with hearing or balance. Skin infections.

What are the red flags of shingles?

Shingles red flags are early pain/tingling on one side of the body, followed by a blistering rash in a stripe, plus systemic signs like fever, headache, or fatigue, with urgent flags being facial involvement (vision/paralysis), ear pain (facial paralysis), or severe immune issues, requiring immediate doctor care for antiviral treatment.
 

What should you not drink with shingles?

Generally, it's best to avoid alcohol during shingles treatment. Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that causes a painful rash.