Shingles is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe. The virus that causes shingles is related to the chicken-pox virus; hence anyone who has had chicken-pox in the past can be affected by shingles but not otherwise. The virus lays dormant in nerve root ganglion and tends to be exacerbated in times of stress or reduced immunity ie during concurrent illnesses. It affects nerve endings, thus causing sharp pain, and follows a dermatomal distribution. Shingles should be managed by a doctor as it may indicate an underlying illness and symptoms can escalate quickly.