Painful bumpy rash suddenly appeared

[sparkx]

I really hope someone can help me.
A few days ago i noticed a spot on my back and a spot on my ribacage which were very tender/sore.
The next day a few red spots appeared. They have gradually grown and are now deep red rashes with small spots in the middle. There are very itchy and quite sore.

My member picture shows one of the rashes.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it looks like shingles. Shingles is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles occurs in people who have had chickenpox and represents a reactivation of the dormant varicella-zoster virus. The first sign is usually a tingling feeling, itchiness, or stabbing pain on the skin. After a few days, a rash appears as a band or patch of raised dots on the side of the trunk or face. The rash develops into small, fluid-filled blisters which begin to dry out and crust over within several days. When the rash is at its peak, symptoms can range from mild itching to extreme and intense pain.

Please get the diagnosis confirmed from a dermatologist.

I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[DrEmilyAltman]

It is not possible to see the photo at this moment, but from your description I would be concerned about shingles/Herpes zoster.  Zoster is a reactivation of chickenpox (varicella) and usually occurs in a linear distribution starting from the back and spreading to the front (if on the body.  on the extremities or head the distribution is different.).

Prior to the appearance of the rash, there may be some symptoms like fever, fatigue and also pain or discomfort in the areas where the rash will appear afterwards.  Often this is mistaken for a pulled muscle or arthritis.  On the head, it may present as a one-sided headache.

The classic description of shingles, aside from the linear distribution, is that the rash is made up of multiple red swollen areas with groups of vesicles or bumps filled with clear fluid inside the red areas.

Shingles is contagious to people who have never had chickenpox, so I recommend you see a dermatologist as soon as possible to have it treated.  In elderly and immunosuppressed patients, the pain from shingles may be severe and may last a long time.

If you do have shingles and you are a young person, your doctor may run some blood tests to check your immune system.  Stress, physical or psychological, lack of sleep, improper nourishment may all contribute to the eruption of shingles as they tend to lower the function of the immune system.

Disclaimer: Dr. Emily Altman and Advanced Skin Wisdom provides the content on this website solely for informational and educational purposes. Information provided on this website should not be considered medical advice and is not a substitute for consultation with a qualified medical professional. Communications to or from Dr. Altman and Advanced Skin Wisdom and any person will not be considered to establish a patient/doctor relationship.