rashless shingles?

[carolfij]

I am a stressed  but healthy 41 year old female medical assistant.  2 weeks ago I started to suffer from what felt like an abrasion under my right arm.  I kept looking in the mirror for a rash of some sort which never appeared.  The numbness and tingling moved in a few specific locations over the next week on only my right arm.  Then started on my torso-right side.  The pain is intermittant-has resolved on my arm but continues on my rib line and around to my stomach.  The Dr. said rashless singles, it has been over 2 weeks-the pain comes and goes but at times it is so intense my scrubs feel like sandpaper against my skin.  I just wonder how long I can expect this to continue?  And should I be concerned about something more serious?

[serene789]

I have worked with docs for 20 years and I do not know what it is but I have seriously had some very strange things and it is very easy to get when you are working around all different kinds of germs and diseases.  I had gotten shingles which is very very contagious at the hospital from a patient when I worked there.  They should be able to tell if you have it or not with a titer test. The i in titer sounds like eye.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Rashless shingles is possible especially since you feel a change in the texture of the skin. However, the treatment is same—antivirals along with something for pain and local applications. If you have taken all these and still have no improvement, then yes, you need to reevaluate the cause. It could be rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, H pylori infection, hypothyroidism—and many other causes which can cause localized pains with rash like condition. Take care!

[KMCS]

Did your doctor give you any creams to put on this rashless shingles?