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I was diagnosed w shingles on leg a week ago. Quad soreness burning. Should I work out?

Posted , 6 users are following.

sherry21676
sherry21676

Quadricep soreness that was a mystery, worse at night, then days later saw the rash from top to bottom of left leg - that was a week ago. Dx'd with shingles. Now, rash is mostly gone but soreness - like a burning - still bad in quadricep muscle. Most definitely affects my sleep. Taking prescript anti viral and Ibuprofen for pain. Even then, sleep is difficult.Otherwise I feel good. Want to continue my active lifestyle of lifting, running, cycling and winter sports. Snow shoed yesterday and feels like burning was worse after that and last night. Question is, should I lay off completely or go ahead with exercise? I've read this burning/ soreness can last weeks. Hoping exercise will help heal though.

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 sherry21676

    Edited

    Hi Sherry,

    If pain is still an issue, you need to rest. Any exercise or activity will only increase the inflammation and pain. Herpes Zoster-Shingles causes severe exhaustion and fatigue. You cannot power through this disease. You need to rest and sleep. The disease affects your entire body.

    Best Regards,

    Merry Juliana

    • Guest
      Guest Merry19451

      Posted

      Hi guys, I have been so confused lately I have been experiencing pain now for four weeks...The pain started out in my left arm really bad stabbing pain I had to massage arm from time to time. The pain also started in both thighs front and back leading down to calf muscles. I would experience numbness and tingling sensations in arm and leg mainly my left side. The pain has also taken over my butt muscles hurts so bad.....not until this week I noticed that the skin on the back thighs are sensitive at times not all the time only when a lot of movement takes place or pants are too tight around thigh.....groin pain as well......could this be shingles or something else.....I had a case of shingles about twi years ago on my left side under left breast.....at that time I only experienced pain in the left arm and torso....please help!

    • babs99203
      babs99203 Guest

      Posted

      Jennifer, that kind of generalized pain doesn't really sound like shingles. It could be very many things, but with shingles there's usually a specific area that follows the nerve with searing pain. Could it be a reaction to something? What about to a drug you're on? No idea, I'd talk to your doctor.

    • babs99203
      babs99203 Guest

      Posted

      I think you need to see a doctor. Or at the very least call your doctor's office with the specifics of your condition. Do you have lesions/rash anywhere on the body? What type of pain is it. You are mentioning pain in different areas of your body. Shingles/herpes pain follows a specific nerve path, not various parts of the body. IE, if it were the sciatic nerve, it could follow the sciatic nerve from the waist and back area down that nerve towards the foot, but it would not affect the opposite side hand or shoulder. This is just a message board, we try to help others, but you need a medical opinion.

    • Guest
      Guest babs99203

      Posted

      Thanks, I have been to my PC several times they cant seem to find an issue. They took blood twice for different pannels......I will make another appointment ....Thanks for your advice

  • babs99203
    babs99203 sherry21676

    Edited

    It's a personal decision, but shingles is a virus reactivating (which is what you had/have) and your body is ill. People tend to think of it as just a rash, it's more than that. I agree with Merry (which is what I advised my husband who was diagnosed AGAIN with shingles yesterday) take it easy, allow your body time to heal. The nerves are affected, that's what the pain is. The best piece of advice I got from my doctor was, it it hurts, don't do it. You can NOT power through this. It's like hitting an infected finger over and over (maybe a poor analogy, but you get the idea.) You want the nerves to stay calm and not get overly activated.

    Activity is OK, but at this early stage, rest is more important. You may get some relief from OTC creams with Lidocaine like Aspercreme, they help me.

    • Merry19451
      Merry19451 babs99203

      Posted

      Sherry,

      Babs analogy is perfect!

      Don't aggravate your inflamed nerves! You will pay for it exponentially!

      Merry Juliana

  • sherry21676
    sherry21676

    Posted

    Thanks ladies. I'll take it easy - going to get some CBD oil and see if that helps w/pain at night and sleep interruption.

    • judit22
      judit22 sherry21676

      Edited

      I too have significant hip and leg pain which keeps me awake or wakes me up. Did the CBD oil help?

  • Merry19451
    Merry19451 sherry21676

    Posted

    Sherry,

    Unfortunately, you cannot power through the pain. The neuropathy is like no other and the exercise and activities make it worse. Take if from me, who worked through her initial episodes and now has recurrent Shingles every 3 weeks in my right ear, mouth and throat for the past 24 years, and now right scalp for the past 2 years.

    The varicella Herpes virus is terrible and wreaks havoc on your body. Not only will you have pain, but you can experience fatigue and exhaustion for months, as well.

    Be kind to yourself and your body. Rest and Sleep. Do not exercise through the pain! You will regret it! As a single mother, I worked with excruciating pain.

    I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States.

    Best Regards.

    Merry Juliana

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