### What is Shingles and How Does It Affect Your Skin? Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in your nerve cells for years. If it reactivates, it travels along specific nerve pathways to your skin, causing a painful and itchy rash. #### How It Spreads When the virus reawakens, it moves through your sensory nerve fibers from your spinal cord to your skin. This results in a rash that usually appears on one side of your body, often on the trunk or torso. The rash forms along the nerve path, known as a dermatome, and does not cross the midline of your body. #### Symptoms The rash consists of tiny blisters and is often accompanied by sensations like burning pain, pins and needles, and itchiness. These symptoms can last up to 5 weeks. In some cases, the virus can cause more severe damage and inflammation, even after the rash disappears, leading to complications like postherpetic neuralgia, which is long-term pain or itchiness due to nerve damage. #### Complications Postherpetic neuralgia is the most common long-term complication, and it can last for weeks, months, or even become permanent. The virus can also affect the nerves that help you move your muscles, leading to conditions like segmental zoster paresis, which causes muscle weakness. In rare cases, the virus affects cranial nerves, leading to facial shingles and complications like Ramsay Hunt syndrome. #### Treatment Treatment focuses on reducing the severity and duration of symptoms and lowering the chance of complications. Medications like anticonvulsants, antidepressants, and pain-relieving creams are commonly used to manage pain. Anticonvulsants like gabapentin and pregabalin are FDA-approved for treating postherpetic neuralgia. Tricyclic antidepressants can also help manage pain by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. Lidocaine and capsaicin creams are often used for topical pain relief. Understanding shingles and its symptoms can help you seek timely medical advice and treatment, reducing the risk of complications and long-term discomfort.