Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. The pain associated with shingles can be very intense and is usually the 1st symptom.

The rash most often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around your torso. However, the shingles rash can also appear around the eyes, neck, or face.

If a rash appears around the eye, you must quickly seek professional medical attention to avoid long term damage (to the eye).

Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes Chickenpox. Anyone who suffered from chickenpox can develop shingles.

However not everybody does and why shingles develops in some people and not others remain unclear. Shingles tends to be more common in older adults or people with a weakened immune system.

The virus that causes shingles is contagious causing chickenpox in people who have previously not had the infection.

Getting vaccinated does not guarantee you will not get Shingles, but the vaccine will likely reduce the course and severity of the infection.