There are three stages of Shingles and throughout these stages, the symptoms of Shingles progress.
The first stage of Shingles is known as the Prodromal Stage.
This is the stage before the Shingles rash appears. Usually the person will experience sensations similar to tingling, tickling, pain, or burning in a particular area of the body. As you can see in the Shingles picture to the right, Shingles is an infection of the nerve.
The next stage is the Eruptive or Active Stage.
This is where the rash and blisters begin to appear on a section of the body. The most common ares are the torso and the face. Initially, the fluid inside the blisters are clear but will soon become pus-like and cloudy. At this stage of Shingles, the pain usually begins to intensify and it feels like a stabbing feeling. The blisters will eventually scab over and crust, and the rash can heal in roughly 2-4 weeks… sometimes longer.
Take a look at these Shingles pictures to see the different severities of the Shingles rash.
One of the next stages of Shingles is Post-Herpetic Neuralgia.
At this stage, chronic pain can be found in severe cases of Shingles. This is characterized as extreme aching, burning, stabbing and persistent pain. You also will experience tremendous sensitivity towards touch and it usually lasts up to 30 days.
The most infectious stage is the Eruptive and Active stage, which is when you're contagious and can affect others who have never had the Chicken Pox before – especially those who already have a weakened immune system. Once the blisters begin to break and ooze, the increase of infection raises substantially. Also, it's possible that Shingles can get in the eyes and cause permanent damage.
Hopefully these Shingles pictures helped you identify the different stages of Shingles.
The important thing is to DO SOMETHING to treat it immediately. There are many natural remedies and treatments available to cure Shingles.