Shingles bumps still there months later

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I had shingles last November, painful and left with exhaustion. I recovered well and feel ok now but I can still feel the bumps on my shoulder where I had the rash and every so often I get a tingle / mild pain like I had at the onset but hasn't developed into anything worse. Is this common??

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4 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Lynn. I had shingles last April and the bumps were still there several months after. However I've noticed recently that although I can still see faint pink marks they don't feel bumpy now. Less scaring in fact than after I had chicken pox as a child.  The tingling you get is post herpetic neuralgia or PHN in the nerve affected by the virus. It seems to come and go with me but not too bad now. I still feel exhausted at times but I'm 72 so maybe it's harder for the body to recover as we get older. Hope this helps. smile
  • Posted

    Hi Lynn,

    The bumps are the residual scarring from the shingles, and the occasional tingling is the post herpetic neuralgia from the shingles. It is not unusual for this to occur. If it is very painful, ask your physician for analgesics.

    Best Wishes

    Merry Juliana

    • Posted

      So these bumps reduced to 1 that tingled from time to time but now it's really inflamed. Dr thinks it's infected but I also have the shingle like pain I had with the shingles just not so severe. I'm so confused!

    • Posted

      Lynn,

      If it tingles from time to time after the infection, that would be Post Herpetic Neuralgia PHN. Now that you have the severe burning lancinating pain, you have a recurrence of the disease, and hopefully started on the Antivirals. Frankly, Valcyclovir and Famciclovir are more efficacious than Acyclovir, if you are going to keep getting recurring Herpes Zoster-Shingles. I would ask for one of those to have on hand if the pain starts up again. I take Famciclovir at the first symptoms, and the episode is shorter, and far less painful.

      Merry Juliana

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