Shingles is a condition that is caused by the microorganism responsible for chickenpox - the first problem mentioned usually occurs years after a person has had chickenpox. The chickenpox virus - after the patient has recovered from the first infection - remains in the human body. It remains dormant in the nerve ganglia, but various factors can cause the virus to reactivate and multiply in the patient many years later, eventually leading to the development of shingles.

The disease is associated with characteristic painful skin lesions in the form of vesicles. However, these are usually neither the only nor the first symptom, as early symptoms of herpes zoster can be distinguished. Among the symptoms that may appear in patients with this entity 3 to 5 days before the appearance of the characteristic rash are:

• pain or burning sensation on one side of the body (usually felt on a fairly limited, small area of the body),
• a feeling of significant weakness,
• headaches,
• chills,
• fever,
• nausea
• diarrhoea
• abnormal sensations such as tingling or numbness somewhere on the body.

The above-mentioned complaints are rather non-specific and, on their basis alone, it is rather difficult to suspect hemiplegia. However, it is worth noting what the risk factors for shingles are, as the risk that the symptoms described above are due to shingles is significantly increased in those who have them. The risk of developing the condition is influenced by:

• age: the older the patient is, the greater the risk of developing herpes zoster becomes,
• chronic diseases (such as diabetes, heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease),
• a weakened immune system (which can result from having AIDS as well as taking immunosuppressive medication),
• experiencing severe stress.