If you had chicken pox, you carry the virus for shingles. That said, I'd get it looked at by your doctor. If it is shingles, you may end up wanting some decent pain killers. Some people get by fine on Tylenol or Motrin; when mine flared up I needed morphine for the pain (it was the only thing that'd kill the pain for me).

There is another reason to get looked at by a doctor.

If it is shingles, if you don't get antiviral drugs within about 72 hours...the virus can damage your nerves and lead to long term or permanent neuropathic pain.

Shingles usually presents on only one side of the body. But sometimes there can be lesions on both right and left in about 10% of people. So doctors will say you don't have it, but you still might. There is a blood test for Herpes Zoster titres of antibodies, which if very elevated, suggest active shingles in hard to diagnose presentations.

So you might want to see your doctor ASAP before the treatment window closes.

I've had shingles before and didn't react within the 72 hour window, but after having it for over a month, I tried L-lysine and it gradually went away. Now I take one L-lysine a day to keep it away. My last break out was in 2009 and I don't want another one.

I hope it's not shingles.

agreed, with the posts above.. and as they said, shingles is only one one side of the body (follows dermatomes- you can search online to look up a dermatome chart)..

If you are on any immunosuppressants, that can sometimes activate shingles as well too

Otherwise, I get a similar rash from IVIG.. it blisters and itches/burns like crazy.. it is on my legs, arms, and when bad trunk, face and scalp too..

Thanks for your responses. I'm not any medication or receiving any treatment at the moment. However, the rash hasn't spread or worsened and is not painful, so looks as though (whatever it is) it should clear up on its own. Seems like I have got off lightly this time! : )