how do i know if i have shingles

To know if you have shingles, watch for early signs such as pain, itching, or tingling in an area of your skin, often on one side of the body or face. This can be followed by a red rash that usually appears a few days later, which develops into blister clusters that typically scab over in 7 to 10 days and clear up within 2 to 4 weeks. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, chills, sensitivity to light, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms. The rash and pain usually occur only on one side of the body, often in a stripe pattern around the torso or on one side of the face. If you experience these symptoms, especially a painful, blistering rash localized to one side of the body, it is likely shingles, and you should seek medical advice for diagnosis and treatment to help speed recovery and prevent complications.