It also involves painful blisters, but it strikes during adulthood.
Were talking about shingles.
And unlike chickenpox, the timeline for recovering from shingles can span weeks, months, or even years.
Close up view of woman scratching her neck.
Its primarily a concern for those who had chickenpox as a child.
Shingles is sparked by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox, explainsDr.
Seth Cohen, MD, medical director of infection prevention at the University of Washington Medical Center.
Heres a general overview of the stages of a shingles outbreak.
Usually, this happens on just one side of the body.
Your skin also may feel sensitive to the touch, or your eyes sensitive to light.
Other early symptoms of shingles include fatigue, headache, and fever.
Some people also begin to experience itchiness or shooting nerve pain on one side of the body or face.
This stage of shingles is called the pre-eruptive phase.
If you think you have a shingles rash, its important to see your healthcare provider ASAP.
A few days after your shingles rash appears, youll notice red, fluid-filled blisters appearing.
This is known as the acute, active or eruptive phase of shingles.
More blisters can continue to appear for several days and can become very painful.
Over-the-counter pain medications and lidocaine cream can also be used for pain relief.
If needed, your healthcare provider can prescribe stronger pain relief medications.
After that, they begin to dry up and form scabs.
Its important not to scratch or pick, which encourages scarring.
Wearing loose-fitting clothing can be much more comfortable during this stage of shingles.
Always be sure to wash your hands well after touching the affected areas.
Sabrina Assoumou, MD, an infectious diseases physician at Boston Medical Center and associate professor at Boston University.
Its normal to still feel some general malaise for up to five weeks as your body fights shingles.
2 Months to Years - Pain and Itchiness
Shingles can also become chronic.
Sometimes, itchiness from shingles can continue for months or even years after the shingles rash has cleared up.
Nerve damage can also lead to nerve pain that lasts much longer than the shingles rash itself.
PHN can last several weeks, months or even years.
Both of these complications of shingles are most common in older adults (age 40 and up).
Doctors may prescribe antidepressants to help treat chronic nerve pain from shingles.
Managing stress and prioritizing your mental health can also help your body heal more quickly.
Getting the shingles vaccine can help you avoid future shingles infections and complications.
Its been shown to be over 90 percent effective in preventing shingles and complications like PHN.
