Shingles , a fairly common condition, will affect people who have had chickenpox in a way that the virus stays within the spinal cord nerve cells for the rest of your life, lying dormant and allowing for further immunity from chickenpox. it is why you only get it once in your life. However, sometimes under the strain of a weakened immune system, the virus can become active once more and the result of this activation is shingles. It is commoner when it comes to the elderly people. shingles affects around one in five people at some point in their lives. The first symptoms of shingles tend to be a painful, sensitive sensation in the afflicted area, which is usually around the chest. Following this, a rash will develop, in the shape of a band as it follows the route of a nerve. The rash begins as small, red spots which then grow into blisters. The blisters have a whitish, cloudy fluid inside them and take between five days and a week to dry up. Afterwards, the dried up blisters scab over before being shed from the body after around two to three weeks. Un expected ans distressing, Shingles can result in severe pain for the sufferer. As the condition affects the nerves, it is possible that the pain caused by shingles will stay with the sufferer even after the rash itself disappears. Shingles can affect various areas of your body in several ways too, including the eyes and ears, making it a very unpleasant condition to deal with. when suffering from shingles, contact your GP as soon as possible. If caught in the early stages, you may be able to receive treatment that will make the symptoms less severe. At home, you will be advised to keep the rash clean and dry to prevent bacterial infection. You can see shingles pictures , shingles and pictures in our website. Cover the rash but only with dry material, do not put creams or ointments on it. If you have a weeping rash, it’s best to avoid work, school or seeing others as contact with the fluid can cause shingles to spread. If addressed in the early stages, anti-viral medication may be prescribed by your doctor to help calm the level of suffering.