What does shingles in your head feel like?

When shingles occurs on the head or scalp, symptoms can include headaches and weakness of one side of the face, which causes that side of the face to look droopy. The symptoms usually go away eventually, but it may take many months. In some cases the pain can last for weeks, months, or years, long after the rash heals.


What to do if you have shingles on your head?

Scalp Treatment for Shingles

Apply cool water and cold compresses to the part of your scalp affected by the shingles rash. Pat calamine or menthol lotion on your head as a soothing scalp treatment. Avoid using harsh soaps or scented shampoos when washing your hair. Try to find a gentle, unscented hair cleanser.

Can shingles on the head affect the brain?

In rare cases, shingles can spread into the brain or spinal cord and cause serious complications such as stroke or meningitis (an infection of the membranes outside the brain and spinal cord).


How long does head shingles last?

The rash from shingles will heal in 1 to 3 weeks and the pain or irritation will usually go away in 3 to 5 weeks. When shingles occurs on the head or scalp, the symptoms usually go away eventually, but it may take many months.

Can shingles cause nerve pain in head?

Postherpetic neuralgia occurs if your nerve fibers are damaged during an outbreak of shingles. Damaged fibers can't send messages from your skin to your brain as they normally do. Instead, the messages become confused and exaggerated, causing chronic, often excruciating pain that can last months — or even years.


Shingles patient



What helps nerve pain in head from shingles?

Treating Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN)
  1. Anticonvulsants. Some anti-seizure medications like gabapentin (Neurontin, Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica) can decrease the pain of postherpetic neuralgia. ...
  2. Painkillers. ...
  3. Steroids. ...
  4. Lidocaine Skin Patches. ...
  5. Capsaicin Skin Patches. ...
  6. Antidepressants.


Can shingles on the head cause a stroke?

But researchers have found that shingles can also increase the risk of stroke, especially for those under age 40 where the shingles vaccine is not typically recommended. The risk is greatest in people with the rashes on their faces, perhaps due to the proximity to the brain.

Will shingles go away if left untreated?

Generally, a case of shingles rash resolves within 3 to 4 weeks. It can resolve without treatment, but antiviral treatment can shorten both the duration and severity of the rash.


What can trigger shingles?

What causes shingles? Shingles is caused when the chickenpox virus is reactivated. After a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies dormant in certain nerves for many years. Shingles is more common in people with weakened immune systems, and in people over the age of 50.

Can you get shingles on your head without a rash?

Zoster sine herpete (ZSH): shingles without the rash

It is possible for a person to develop shingles without being affected by the rash, although this is rare. When shingles occurs without the rash being present, this is called zoster sine herpete (ZSH).

Does shingles cause headache and fatigue?

Most cases of shingles cause severe pain and itching, and can leave scars. Fluid-filled blisters develop, break, and crust over during and a few weeks after an outbreak. You also may feel sick or fatigued, with a slight fever or headache.


Can shingles on your head cause dizziness?

Just like any other viral infection, general weakness and lightheadedness with shingles is not unusual. Because shingles is an infectious condition caused by reactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV), lightheadedness and generalized weakness might occur as with any viral infection.

Can shingles cause head and neck pain?

Shingles tend to develop in stages. Pain, burning, tickling, tingling, and numbness occurs in the area around the affected nerves several days or weeks before a rash appears. The discomfort usually occurs on the chest or back, but it may occur on the belly, head, face, neck, an arm or a leg.

How is shingles on the scalp diagnosed?

Symptoms that appear a few days after initial symptoms include:
  1. Itching, tingling, or burning in the affected area of skin.
  2. Redness.
  3. Raised rash.
  4. Blisters that are filled with fluid. These will break open and then scab.
  5. Mild to severe pain in the affected area of the skin.


Why is my scalp tender in one spot?

A sore scalp can be caused by infected hair follicles, scalp pimples, or tension from certain hairstyles that may pull the hair too tight. Other causes for scalp tenderness include trauma from a head injury, or underlying skin condition like eczema or cellulitis.

How do you know if you have internal shingles?

Symptoms of internal shingles

Pain or sensitivity in a specific area. General aches. Chills. Swelling of the lymph nodes (proof that your immune system is fighting the virus)

What not to do when you have shingles?

If you have the shingles rash, do not share towels or flannels, go swimming, or play contact sports. This will help prevent the virus being passed on to someone who has not had chickenpox. You should also avoid work or school if your rash is weeping (oozing fluid) and cannot be covered.


How long do you feel unwell with shingles?

How long does shingles last? Most cases of shingles last three to five weeks. The first sign is often burning or tingling pain; sometimes it includes numbness or itching on one side of the body. Somewhere between one and five days after the tingling or burning feeling on the skin, a red rash will appear.

What is the best over the counter medicine for shingles?

To help with the pain of shingles, your doctor might have you take an over-the-counter pain medicine. This could include acetaminophen (one brand: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (two brands: Motrin, Advil). Applying a medicated anti-itch lotion (two brands: Benadryl, Caladryl) to the blisters might reduce the pain and itching.

Is shingles caused by stress?

Shingles is a reminder that the mind and body are not separate. Essentially, emotional stress doesn't cause shingles as we know the virus is already lying dormant in the body. However, emotional stress can weaken the immune system, reducing the body's ability to defend against illnesses.


Can shingles cause brain tumors?

A positive history of shingles was not significantly associated with glioma risk (mOR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.89–1.38). The mORs were similar stratified by tumor grade.

Can shingles affect the mind?

Shingles, which is caused by the chickenpox virus, can be an underestimated cause of infection in the brain. Long after the infection, patients may also develop problems with memory and other cognitive problems.

Does shingles make you tired and weak?

You may experience fatigue while you have shingles. However, it's also possible to feel fatigued even after the shingles rash has disappeared. Fatigue may happen indirectly due to PHN, a complication of shingles that involves lingering pain. Many people with PHN experience insomnia.


Does sleep help shingles?

Managing shingles symptoms

In addition to seeking medical treatment, people can take other steps to alleviate their symptoms and reduce discomfort. These include: getting enough sleep and rest. using a wet compress on the itchy and inflamed skin and blisters.

Can you wash your hair with shingles?

Use gentle, unscented shampoos and warm water to wash the hair, and avoid scrubbing the scalp. Don't use hair spray and styling products for the duration of the rash, which could last 3 to 5 weeks.