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Shingles

Two days ago I woke up and noticed a rash on my left inner thigh.  This morning when I woke up I noticed that the rash had gotten extremely painful and had spread across the top and outerside of my thigh.  I went to the doctor this afternoon and was diagnosed with shingles.  He wrote me a prescription for Valtrex and told me it was a good thing I came in because we were able to catch it early. Much to my dismay I just noticed a small patch on the left side of my lower back.  Is the rash just going to continue to keep spreading? and at what point will it stop spreading? Can I spread it to other parts of my body, like if I touch my leg and then touch my arm would I then develop the rash on my arm?
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563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Shingles can show autoinoculation which will cause the virus to spread from one part of the body to another such as the transfer of the viral particles from the face to the eye area. Shingles mostly effects a particular dermatome on the trunk or eyes. Hence the virus shows predilection for these sites mostly. It can even be spread to others. Hence keep the rash covered and avoid scratching or touching the rash. If accidental touch is there then you can wash your hands with soap and water.

I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.


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Avatar universal
If it's Shingles, then it can be very contagious (e.g, if you touch the sores at one part of the body, it can easily transfer over to another through your hand). However with the anti-viral medication intake, the spreading effect could be limited.
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563773 tn?1374246539
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
Your symptoms are suggestive of shingles. 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.

Take the prescribed drug as advised and if there is any pain then you can take the pain killers.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.




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