Can you get shingles on the top of your leg?

While a shingles outbreak usually appears as a band across one side of your torso, it can appear anywhere on your body, including your leg and groin.

What can be mistaken for shingles?

Shingles can sometimes be mistaken for another skin conditions, such as hives, psoriasis, or eczema. Share on Pinterest A doctor should always be consulted if shingles is suspected. The characteristics of a rash may help doctors identify the cause. For example, hives are often raised and look like welts.

What does a mild case of shingles look like?

The generalized signs and symptoms in the body may include: Raised red rash which usually appears a few days after the pain. Multiple blisters which appear in a stripe pattern. The blisters contain fluid and they break open with crusting. Fever, chills, fatigue, and body ache.

Can you spread shingles on yourself?

Shingles also known as herpes zoster is a condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles itself is not contagious. It can’t spread from one person to another.

How do you rule out shingles?

Articles On Shingles Once you’re older, that same virus can wake up and cause shingles, also called herpes zoster. It gives you a rash, too, but it’s often more painful than itchy. A blistering rash on one side of your body can be a sign you have it. See your doctor to find out for sure.

Will shingles go away if left untreated?

Shingles, or herpes zoster, usually clears up in 2 to 4 weeks. However, as the infection can spread to other organs, it may lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications if left untreated.

Do you need to see a doctor for shingles?

People who have shingles symptoms and signs should see their doctor as soon as possible, because antiviral medication is effective only if given early. Individuals with facial, nose, or eye symptoms and signs should seek medical care immediately. Do not scratch the skin where the rash is located.

Do shingles look like pimples?

Within three to five days after the initial pain of shingles develops, a few tiny pimple-like spots will appear and quickly multiply into clusters, forming a rash that feels prickly to the touch.

How long are you contagious with shingles?

If you have shingles, you are contagious until the last blister has scabbed over. This will usually occur after about 10 to 14 days.

What are the stages of shingles?

The 4 stages of shingles and how the condition progresses

• The stages of shingles are tingling pain, followed by a burning feeling and a red rash, then blistering, and finally the blisters will crust over.
• You will typically develop a rash about 1-5 days after you feel numbness or tingling pain.

Can shingles be painless?

Pain almost always accompanies the rash, but in rare cases the rash may be painless; this is more likely in children. Immunocompromised people may have an atypical presentation of shingles, e.g. a widespread non-dermatomal rash.

Can you have shingles in 2 places?

People with herpes zoster most commonly have a rash in one or two adjacent dermatomes (localized zoster). The rash most commonly appears on the trunk along a thoracic dermatome. The rash does not usually cross the body’s midline. Less commonly, the rash can be more widespread and affect three or more dermatomes.

How do you get rid of nerve pain from shingles?

Treating Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN)

1. Anticonvulsants. Some anti-seizure medications like gabapentin (Neurontin, Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica) can decrease the pain of postherpetic neuralgia. …
2. Painkillers. …
3. Steroids. …
4. Lidocaine Skin Patches. …
5. Capsaicin Skin Patches. …
6. Antidepressants.

What is the best pain relief for shingles?

Shingles can cause severe pain, so your doctor also may prescribe:

• Capsaicin topical patch (Qutenza)
• Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin (Neurontin)
• Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline.
• Numbing agents, such as lidocaine, delivered via a cream, gel, spray or skin patch.

Do shingles look like bug bites?

For some people, the shingles virus can stay dormant forever. For others, it can appear at any time as a painful nerve infection that can mimic a bug attack.

Can you put Neosporin on shingles?

Neosporin may help with minor infections, but any child with any sores that are red and infected should be seen promptly by Dr. Eisner, because of possible staph infection. Shingles occur only in people who have had chickenpox, or the vaccine.

What does shingles pain feel like?

The first sign of shingles, which is also called herpes zoster, is pain that might feel like burning or tingling on one side of your face, chest, back, or waist. It can be intense. You might also feel like you’re coming down with the flu, with symptoms such as: Fever.

Can you get shingles from stress?

Since stress affects the immune system, many researchers believe that stress could be a trigger for shingles. Researchers in multiple studies have linked chronic, daily stress, and highly stressful life events as risk factors for shingles.

What foods make shingles worse?

Foods to avoid with shingles

• candies and sweets.
• cakes and baked goods.
• sugary drinks.
• sugary cereals.
• sugary sauces.
• ice cream.
• white bread.
• white rice.

Can you share a bed with someone who has shingles?

So is shingles contagious? Absolutely yessomeone with shingles can pass the chickenpox virus to other people.

What are the first signs of having shingles?

Shingles

• Pain, burning, numbness or tingling.
• Sensitivity to touch.
• A red rash that begins a few days after the pain.
• Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over.
• Itching.

Are shingles itchy when they start?

The first symptoms of shingles appear one to five days before the rash. These early warning signs are usually felt in the location where the rash will develop: Itching. Tingling.

Does shingles feel like a pulled muscle?

The initial manifestation of the infection is normally pain which may be aching, sharp, constant, or recurrent along the course of the nerve. Patients often feel like they have pulled a muscle, slept in an unnatural position the night before, or are developing a cold in the back.

Can you have shingles in just one spot?

It is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of 50. Shingles starts with skin sensitivity, tingling, itching, and/or pain followed by rash that looks like small, red spots that turn into blisters. The rash is typically affects just one area on one side of the body or face.

Is it safe to be around someone with shingles?

Answer: Shingles cannot be passed from one person to another. However, the virus that causes shingles (varicella zoster virus), can spread from a person with active shingles to cause chickenpox in someone who has never had chickenpox or received two doses of a chickenpox vaccine.

Should I stay home from work if I have shingles?

In general, as long as the lesion can be covered, a person with shingles does not need to stay home from work or school. Health care workers and others working with high-risk individuals should remain home from work until the blisters have scabbed over.

What type of isolation is needed for shingles?

Airborne and contact precautions until disseminated infection is ruled out. Airborne and contact precautions until lesions are dry and crusted.