SPOTS OF HIVES BACK AND FLANK AREA

HELLO-  MY HUSBAND HAS DEVELOPED JUST A FEW SPOTS OF LITTLE RED BUMPS/HIVES.  ONE CLUSTER IS BY HIS RIB CAGE AND THE OTHER TWO SPOTS ARE AROUND ON HIS BACK.  THEY ARE RED, AND BUMPY, NOT PARTICULARLY ITCHY, BUT THEY ARE CAUSING HIM PRETTY INTENSE BACK PAIN...HE THINKS IN THE MUSCLE...AND THE PAIN IS DIRECTLY AROUND THESE BUMPY AREAS.  THE BUMPS ARE SMALL...THEY ARE IN CLUSTERS.  HE'S HAD THIS PROBABLY OVER THE LAST WEEK AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING BETTER.  I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD BOTHER HIM MUCH OTHER THAN THE MUSCLE PAIN HE IS EXPERIENCING WITH THEM.  WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

My guess would be zoster (shingles.)  If the bumps are only on one side of the body, that would be it.  Shingles can be very painful in the elderly, but don't usually last long in younger people.  Zoster is a recurrence of the chickenpox virus.  It heals itself, but there are antibiotics that can make it go away sooner.  Your husband should see his doctor tomorrow to confirm this.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff