Take the Shingles Quiz Shingles Slideshow Pictures Gallery of Skin Problems and Image Collection

Medical Author:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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When to Seek Medical Care

If a person develops pain or a rash in a band on one side of their body, they should seek medical care as soon as possible. Antiviral medications are effective only if given early (24-72 hours after the rash develops).

• If the rash with blisters is on a person's nose or near the eyes, they should be seen by a health-care practitioner immediately because the virus may spread to the eye and cause eye damage or vision loss.



• Individuals should also receive care as soon as possible if they have a medical illness that decreases their ability to fight off infection; these people may be able to avoid complications if treated in the early stage of shingles.



• The development of shingles in pregnant women is very uncommon; although shingles poses little or no risk for the fetus, the mother may require treatment with antiviral medication. Pregnant women with shingles should seek a doctor to manage their care. In contrast, pregnant women who develop chickenpox may have a risk to the fetus; these individuals need to seek care immediately.

Go to a hospital's emergency department if these conditions develop:

• pain, redness, or rash (with or without blisters) on the face, especially if near the eye(s);



• shingles patients who develop a high fever or feel sick;
  
  
• if the blisters continue spreading to other areas of the body.