Shingles Treatment Nationwide

About shingles

Shingles is a painful condition caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Anyone can get it, but it's most common in older people.

Common symptoms

• A painful, blistering rash on one side of the body
• Tingling or burning skin
• A general feeling of being unwell
• Pain before the rash appears

How Longhill Pharmacy can help

Our pharmacist can assess your symptoms and, where appropriate, supply treatment on the spot through Pharmacy First - saving you a GP appointment and getting you sorted faster. We'll also give practical advice on self-care and when to seek further help.

From the NHS website

NHS guidance on shingles

Symptoms of shingles

The first signs of shingles can be:

• a tingling or painful feeling in an area of skin
• a headache or feeling generally unwell

A rash will usually appear a few days later. In rare cases shingles can cause pain without a rash.

Usually you get the shingles rash on your chest and tummy, but it can appear anywhere on your body including on your face, eyes and genitals.

The rash appears as blotches on your skin, on 1 side of your body only. A rash on both the left and right of your body is unlikely to be shingles.

See a pharmacist if:

• you have symptoms of shingles and you're 18 years old or older

Try to see a pharmacist within 3 days of the rash appearing. If you need medicine, it can help to speed up your recovery and avoid longer-lasting problems.

A pharmacist can give the same antiviral medicines as a GP. They can also give advice or direct you to other medical help, if needed.

Find a pharmacy

Read the full NHS guide to shingles →

Content supplied by the NHS website.

Page last reviewed: 23 November 2023 · Next review due: 23 November 2026