# Shingles without being really sick? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 2, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629 "2017-08-02T15:18:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629/21 "2017-08-03T22:09:19Z")
I had shingles on my left shoulder blade back in my late 20’s. Stress related. I wasn’t sick otherwise. Damn that hurt. Rubbing against my shirt was eyes rolling into the back of my head levels of sudden pain. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629/22 "2017-08-03T22:24:04Z")
A few years back, I developed a small rash- just a few bumps, really, on my shin. And then a couple of days later, I noticed that I had a weirdly sensitive area on my upper thigh. Looked it up, and decided it was shingles. Made a doctor’s appointment. I showed it to the doctor and said that I thought it was shingles… but she said that since it didn’t hurt, it probably wasn’t… but when I told her about the sensitive area on my upper thigh, she said, “Oh… huh, I guess it really is shingles. You’re really lucky.” So no, it’s not always painful. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629/23 "2017-08-04T15:19:04Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > Keep in mind that even though you find the symptoms bearable, you are capable of spreading the virus during an outbreak. Please take appropriate precautions around people who have not been vaccinated or who have not previously had chicken pox. Good point and yes, I am careful about this in the context of vulnerable groups. As far as I know, there is no routine chicken pox vaccination in the UK - the standard method of acquiring immunity is to catch the disease, usually during childhood. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629/24 "2017-08-04T16:13:08Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I assume you’re joking; jellyfish stings are toxins–no vaccines for that. I was super joking. You’re no fun anymore ☹ ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629/25 "2017-08-05T00:16:33Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I was super joking. You’re no fun anymore ☹ Sorry, didn’t mean to be Captain Bringdown, but it was less than hilarious 😉 so I thought there was a chance you were serious. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629/26 "2017-08-05T00:32:04Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > I had shingles on my left shoulder blade back in my late 20’s. Stress related. I wasn’t sick otherwise. > > Damn that hurt. Rubbing against my shirt was eyes rolling into the back of my head levels of sudden pain. My younger sister had shingles on her upper back/shoulders when she was in her _twenties_. She said it was the most pain she’s ever had. ---
**Author:** ![Jennshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Jennshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennshark)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629/27 "2017-08-07T14:28:44Z")
So we can all have some closure :D: Poison sumac/ivy yickiness is clearing up nicely; a patch sprung up on my other knee, I think I can blame this outbreak (again) on dog paws that have stomped around in urushiol-bearing flora then going to sleep on my legs. I haven’t felt cruddy/had a fever since the day I posted this, so I guess it was just a coincidence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shingles-without-being-really-sick/792629.md?page=1)