How can I differentiate between herpes and shingles?
In most cases, it is difficult to tell at first, the differences between these two conditions. This article will be discussing the variations in the symptoms, duration, risk factors, and causes of shingles and herpes.
Symptoms of shingles
The common symptom manifested in these two conditions are itchy red bumps and blisters on the skin. However, the appearance of the red bumps is mostly different. In shingles, the rashes appear in a stripe-like pattern on one side of the body. In most cases, a shingle rash will not appear in the middle of the body or multiple parts of the body at once.
There are other manifestations that can help tell the difference between the two conditions
- Pain. This is mainly common before blisters appear.
- Burning sensation on the skin
- Fever [1]
- Fatigue or body weakness
- Red rash that occurs after feeling pains for several days
- Skin that is very sensitive to touch
- Headache [2]
- Blisters that burst open and scab.
The first manifestation of shingles is pain. This pain is usually intense and will let you know that something is wrong. In most cases, you don’t observe a rash until a few days after the pain starts.
The most common location for shingle rashes is around the midsection. However, they can also be found in:
- On your neck
- Around your eyes
- On your face
In some cases, people never develop a shingle rash throughout the sickness.