How long does it take to get shingles

Shingles is an infection that causes a painful rash. Get advice from 111 as soon as possible if you think you have it.

Table of Contents Show

Check if you have shingles
Urgent advice: Get advice from 111 as soon as you suspect shingles
How to treat shingles symptoms yourself
How long shingles lasts
Stay away from certain groups of people if you have shingles
Important: Work and school
Shingles and pregnancy
You cannot get shingles from someone with chickenpox
Shingles vaccination
How long does it take to get shingles after being exposed?
What are the first signs of having shingles?
What triggers you to get shingles?

Check if you have shingles

The first signs of shingles can be:

a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
a headache or feeling generally unwell

A rash will appear a few days later.

Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals.

The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.

The blotches become itchy blisters that ooze fluid. A few days later, the blisters dry out and scab.

Credit:

Scott Camazine / Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/herpes-zoster-shingles-rash-image3217474.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=04C48F81-4F80-4503-BEE8-E369C12FA659&p=9949&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dA02G43%26qt_raw%3dA02G43%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

The rash can be red, but this can be harder to see on brown and black skin.

Credit:

Science Photo Library https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/877219/view

The rash can form a cluster that only appears on 1 side of your body. The skin remains painful until after the rash has gone.

Credit:

DR M.A. ANSARY / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/262592/view

The rash may be in and around your eye, making it sore and red. It can affect your sight or hearing and make it hard to move 1 side of your face.

Credit:

DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/262644/view

Urgent advice: Get advice from 111 as soon as you suspect shingles

You might need medicine to help speed up your recovery and avoid longer-lasting problems.

This works best if taken within 3 days of your symptoms starting.

111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.

Other ways to get help

Get an urgent GP appointment

A GP may be able to treat you.

Ask your GP surgery for an urgent appointment.

How to treat shingles symptoms yourself

Do

take paracetamol to ease pain
keep the rash clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection
wear loose-fitting clothing
use a cool compress (a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel or a wet cloth) a few times a day

Don’t

do not let dressings or plasters stick to the rash
do not use antibiotic cream – this slows healing

How long shingles lasts

It can take up to 4 weeks for the rash to heal.

Your skin can be painful for weeks after the rash has gone, but it usually gets better over time.

Stay away from certain groups of people if you have shingles

You cannot spread shingles to others. But people who have not had chickenpox before could catch chickenpox from you.

This is because shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus.

Try to avoid:

pregnant people who have not had chickenpox before
people with a weakened immune system – like someone having chemotherapy
babies less than 1 month old – unless you gave birth to them, as your baby should be protected from the virus by your immune system

Important: Work and school

Stay off work or school if the rash is still oozing fluid (weeping) and cannot be covered, or until the rash has dried out.

You can only spread the infection to other people while the rash oozes fluid.

You can cover the rash with loose clothing or a non-sticky dressing.

Shingles and pregnancy

If you're pregnant and get shingles, there's no danger to your pregnancy or baby.

But you should be referred to a specialist, as you may need antiviral treatment.

You cannot get shingles from someone with chickenpox

You cannot get shingles from someone with shingles or chickenpox.

But you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before.

When people get chickenpox, the virus remains in the body. It can be reactivated later and cause shingles if someone's immune system is lowered.

This can be because of stress, certain conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy.

Shingles vaccination

A shingles vaccine is available on the NHS for people in their 70s. It helps reduce your risk of getting shingles.

How long does it take to get shingles after being exposed?

Usually within five days, a red rash will appear in that area.

What are the first signs of having shingles?

Symptoms.

Pain, burning or tingling..

Sensitivity to touch..

A red rash that begins a few days after the pain..

Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over..

Itching..

What triggers you to get shingles?

People get shingles when the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, reactivates in their bodies after they have already had chickenpox. You cannot get shingles from someone who has shingles.