What you need to know about shingles

What is shingles?

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful, blistering rash. It’s triggered by the reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox. Once a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in the nervous system. When it is reactivated, it moves along the nerve fibres to the area of the skin. It can appear anywhere on the body. This means that anyone who has had chickenpox may have an outbreak of shingles at some point in their lives.

Who’s affected by shingles?

According to the British Association of Dermatologists, about 1 in 5 people will develop shingles at some time. Shingles is more likely if a person is elderly, experiencing physical or emotional stress, has an illness that weakens the immune system, or is undergoing an immunosuppressant treatment such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or steroids.

Unlike chickenpox, shingles is not contagious. It only develops when the inactive virus is reactivated, usually due to a compromised immune system. However, if you’re around people who haven’t had chickenpox before, they could contract it from you. The NHS recommends avoiding contact with:

• Pregnant women who haven’t had chickenpox before

• People with a weakened immune system (undergoing radiotherapy for example)

• Babies under a month old

Signs and symptoms of shingles

The first signs of shingles can include:

• A tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin

• A headache or feeling generally unwell

• A rash will usually appear a few days later. In rare cases, shingles can cause pain without a rash. Usually, you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body and tends to appear just on one side of your body.

Treatment options for shingles

Your shingles treatment will depend on how severe your symptoms are and whether you're at risk of any complications. If you have a mild rash, you may not need any treatment. If you have a weakened immune system or your rash is severe or affecting areas of your body other than your chest, tummy, and back, you may be offered antiviral medication. To help relieve pain, a healthcare professional may also suggest painkillers or steroid tablets. It is important that you talk to your GP about the best treatment solution for you.

If you suspect you might have shingles, our pharmacist can help as part of the NHS Pharmacy First service. You’ll have a video appointment and they’ll discuss your symptoms and issue a treatment if appropriate.

Find out more.

There are also a few things you can do yourself that could help make you more comfortable while you’re experiencing symptoms:

• Take paracetamol to ease any pain

• Keep the rash clean and dry to reduce risk of infection

• Wear loose-fitting clothing

• Use a cool compress a few times a day to soothe the rash

• Avoid letting any dressings stick to the rash

Shingles can take up to 4 weeks for the rash to heal and skin can remain tender until the rash has gone.

You can reduce the risk of complications by getting treatment as soon as possible after your symptoms start. Speak to a pharmacist or your GP as soon as you can if you suspect you might have shingles.

Prevention of shingles

The NHS offers a shingles vaccine for people in the following groups:

• people who turned 65 on or after 1 September 2023

• people aged 70 to 79 who have not yet been vaccinated

• people aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system

Talk to your GP or healthcare professional if you think you might be eligible for the shingles vaccine.