Internal Shingles

[Belle22]

Is there such a thing as Internal Shingles? I am diabetic and started having nueropathy in my feet & hands. Recently, I've been having severe nerve pain in my shoulders and middle back area. I had chicken pox when I was 32 and it was horrible. The pain I am having now is so similar to then. I saw my doctor recently & mentioned my back pain & he's given me a script for an MRI as I've had some normal spine degeneration (I'm 65) in the past & he wants to see if it's worse. What I have now is nothing like that. My nerves are on fire and I have trouble doing anything, especially sleeping. I'm recently experiencing discomfort wearing clothes. Is it possible to have shingles w/o a rash. Also when I had chicken pox, I had it in every opening in my body & also I could feel it inside. This is what it feels like now. It's a living hell.
Thank you!


This discussion is related to Shingles.

[jmbirds]

yes i had shingles in my throat and on my head during my divorce..2004. got shingles again after gallbladder removed 2007  and when i had shoulder surgery 2009 i also have low vit D b 12 with hypo thyroid symptoms goiter
i also know any prevacid type drugs cause vit b 12 dificiency, try yogurt for your GI tract get tested for HSV I AND  II

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Mostly shingles is accompanied by a very painful rash, but sometimes shingles pain occurs without a rash. This condition is known as zoster sine herpete. In the absence of a rash, pain in the chest or the back may be so severe as to occasionally be mistaken for a heart attack, a lung infection or spinal problem.

You can discuss this possibility with your dermatologist and get yourself prescribed for the treatment of shingles. Treatment of shingles includes antiviral drugs, steroids, analgesics and anti viral eye drops.

Hope it helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing. Warm regards.