Have Shingles Without The Rash? Discomfort In Breast And Shoulder. No Itching. Suggest?

Posted on Sun, 1 Sep 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 1 Sep 2013 Answered on

Fri, 27 Sep 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Can a person have shingles without the rash? My discomfort started three nights ago at the side of my left breast and has moved around to my shoulder blade...sternum to spine....dull pain,no I itch but skin feels shaffed.

Answered by Dr. Kalpana Pathak (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, shingles can occur without rash.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing to us.
Shingles or herpes zoster can present with rash known as zoster sine herpeticus. Here no rash of herpes would be present but pain, itching, burning sensation can be there in a segmental distribution of a particular nerve.
As you are having symptoms in segmental unilateral distribution, it could be herpes zoster.
Such type of shingles is also treated with standard dose of antiviral like acyclovir or valacyclovir with painkillers and antihistamines .

Please XXXXXXX your dermatologist at earliest as antivirals should be prescribed with in 72 hours of affliction for better results.
Hope that helped.
Take care

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar