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Shingles is a painful skin disease caused by a reactivation of the chickenpox virus. It is distinctive because it affects only one side of the body. The early signs of shingles usually occurs in three stages: severe pain or tingling, possibly itchy rash, and blisters that look like chickenpox.
The virus that causes shingles is a herpes virus. Once you are infected with this kind of virus, it stays inactive in your body until a period when your immunity is down. The incidence of shingles increases with age, with 50% of patients older than 60 years and 75% older than 70 years.
The pain of shingles can be debilitating and can lead to mood changes, sleep disruption, and depression. If it is severe and lasts for months or years, it is called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
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Content last modified on Jun 24, 2005
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