From tingling to fatigue early warning signs of virus that can cause pain for YEARS, whos at risk & when to call GP

IT starts with tingling or pain but can develop into a blistering rash and weeks of misery.

One in three people will develop the condition during their lifetime, yet many Irish adults do not realise they could be at risk.

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[Woman with shingles]

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Now a medical expert is urging people to learn the early warning signs and contact their GP quickly if symptoms appear.

The painful condition occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox reactivates later in life.

It can cause tingling, severe nerve pain and a blistering rash that may take up to six weeks to clear.

GSK Ireland country medical director Eavan Daly said: Shingles is a condition that can occur in any of us and will affect one in three people during their lifetime.

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[Shingles (Disease), Herpes zoster, varicella-zoster virus. skin rash and blisters]

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It can occur when the virus that causes chickenpox, which we usually experience in childhood, reactivates later in life. The varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox remains dormant in our bodies for a lifetime.

For two out of three of us, it will cause no further issues. However, one in three will experience a reactivation of that virus later in life.

Ms Daly added: It occurs mostly in people aged over 50 and, as we grow older, our risk continues to increase. It can also occur in younger people who are immunocompromised.

For example, this may be due to an underlying condition, an autoimmune disease, cancer or cancer treatment, or an ongoing chronic disease.

Conditions including heart disease, diabetes, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can also affect immune function and increase the likelihood of the virus reactivating.

The first warning signs can appear before the distinctive rash develops.

Ms Daly said: The first symptoms would typically be tingling or pain in an area of the skin. A person might experience headaches, fatigue and a sudden feeling of being generally unwell.

But its really the tingling pain thats quite unique to shingles.

The pain often affects one side of the body and may appear around the abdomen or face.

Ms Daly explained: It can occur anywhere on the body and can also involve the nerve that runs from the scalp down to the face and across the eye area. If a person starts to experience that sort of pain, they absolutely need to seek medical help as soon as possible.

People who suspect they have shingles are urged to contact their GP promptly.

Ms Daly said: When a person starts to experience shingles, its really important that they seek medical advice as early as possible so the course of the condition can be altered and improved.

That can happen if its caught within the first three days of symptoms appearing.

Depending on the patient and their individual consultation, a GP may prescribe medication to make the illness less severe.

Ms Daly said: Because the rash is blistering, it can be susceptible to infection. But its really the pain that is the most debilitating part of experiencing shingles.

Most people will report that the rash heals and the pain subsides within four to six weeks.

However, some patients continue to experience nerve pain even after the rash has healed.

Ms Daly said: Theres a longer-lasting pain that a minority of patients will go on to experience. That needs to be managed by a specialist in many cases. It affects around one in five people.

Those who are more immunocompromised are more likely to experience this longer-lasting pain.

Cases involving a facial nerve or the eye can also be more complicated and may require an urgent ophthalmology referral.

Meanwhile, new research from GSK Ireland has revealed that many people aged between 50 and 79 may be underestimating their risk.

Some 60 per cent said they felt younger than their actual age, while seven in ten reported having an underlying illness.

However, only four in ten knew that underlying conditions and certain chronic diseases could increase their risk of shingles.

Ms Daly said: We might feel younger than our years, but the majority of us will have an underlying illness once we are over 50.

Yet, although seven in ten report having an underlying illness, only four in ten are aware that underlying conditions and certain chronic diseases can increase the risk of shingles. So its really important to raise awareness.

Anyone concerned about their risk can speak to their GP, practice nurse or local pharmacist.