Shingles or Herpes Zoster is a disease caused by the reactivation of the chicken Pox virus, which lies dormant in the body for many years after being acquired in childhood, either through disease or the vaccine. Whenever immunity weakens due to age or when one develops chronic diseases like heart failure, kidney disease, diabetes, etc, the virus gets reactivated and can cause shingles. The virus lies in the spinal cord, migrates along peripheral nerves, and, once reactivated, causes an excruciatingly painful rash that people describe as even more painful than labor.

The disease presents with small blisters that occur along the course of a nerve supplying the skin and commonly involves the chest and back, around one side of the waistline. Other areas like the neck, face, butts, arms, thighs, legs, and head, including the eyes or ears, can be involved. The blisters then dry up, forming scabs in about two weeks, and it takes around a month to clear up.

About 25% of affected individuals develop persistent, long-term pain. After the rash disappears completely, this pain may last a few months to many years. It can be very severe and make life miserable for the individual. A combination of pain management techniques can be tried, including using a pain specialist to block the nerves.

There is no hard epidemiological data on the true incidence of the disease in India. However, as the population ages and chronic diseases rise, we see more individuals with herpes zoster.