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jenn_gw

Early Shingles?

jenn
12 years ago

Last evening I noticed a small welt (a little smaller than a dime) on my lower back toward my right side, just above my waist. I noticed a few other small red bumps in the general area. They were slightly itchy but not a lot, and I was surprised they didn't itch profusely so I left them alone.

When I went to bed last night, I immediately noticed some mild pain in the general area around the base of my rib cage, also on my right side, but a little toward the front and not in just one small spot. When I pressed on the general area, it felt sensitive and tender to the touch, but not extremely uncomfortable.

This morning, I noticed a small rash on the front at the base of my rib cage, also toward my right side. When I press on the rash and on the welt and spots on my back, they hurt rather than itch --- that's odd, I thought... why would this area be tender but not itching? I do feel some very mild itching at times, but mostly I feel tenderness of the skin in the whole area.

As the morning wore on (and still as I write this) the skin around the base of my rib cage (on my right side) is sensitive to touch, mostly toward the front. The welt, other small bumps, and small rash are still there. The skin sensitivity is a little more noticeable than this morning. I have a fairly high pain tolerance, but this is uncomfortable enough to distract my attention off my work.

I'm 54 years old, in (otherwise) excellent health, but have been under stress since late last year and starting to see subtle signs of that (recent bad cold, sores around my mouth). I did have chicken pox as a kid.

Could this be the start of Shingles? I have never noticed anything like this before. I don't take any medications and don't want to take something "just in case" ... mostly, now, just wondering if this sounds familiar to any of you sufferers of Shingles. ,

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