My story about shingles symptoms, I thought it was just a cold...

About a month ago, I started feeling a tingling, sharp pain on my left lower back, along with a slight itch.
I thought it was just a cold coming on. But after a few days, blisters formed in a band-like pattern.
When I went to the hospital... Yes, that's right. They said it was shingles symptoms 🥲

 

 

✅ Why do people get shingles?

 

Herpes zoster is caused by the chickenpox virus that lay dormant in the nerves of the body after childhood.
It is a disease that reappears as the immune system reactivates when it becomes weakened.

You should be especially careful in such cases:
- 😵 When experiencing severe stress
- 😷 When your body feels tired like a cold
- 💉 During chemotherapy and steroid medication use
- 👵 Elderly individuals aged 50 and above

 

Self-diagnosis of shingles (according to the Korean Dermatological Association standards)

 

1. Mild fever similar to a cold + localized sharp pain
2. Blisters forming in a band-like pattern on one side of the body
3. The area is unusually itchy and tingling.
Has experienced chickenpox.
Usually has weak immunity or frequent fatigue.

 

I took a self-diagnosis for shingles and it matched exactly with numbers 1 and 2, so I immediately rushed to the hospital 😨

 

🧪 Summary of shingles symptoms by stage

 

- Initial: skin discomfort, pain, itching
- 3 to 4 days later: rash → vesicles the size of mung beans
- 1 to 2 weeks later: Blister with pus → Scab
- Several months to a few months: scars, in severe cases nerve pain remains 😵

 

💡 Especially, the itching or stinging sensation caused by shingles can be easily confused, making it easy to miss in the early stages!

 

 

 

💬 진짜 무섭고 아팠던 경험...

Having experienced shingles symptoms, I realize it's not just a skin condition but a nerve-related pain that makes the whole body hurt 😭
If you've been experiencing stress or fatigue lately, try a self-assessment for shingles!