The culprit behind this painful condition is the same virus responsible for causing chickenpox. This virus remains in the body following an attack of chickenpox but lies dormant for a period of time. It reactivates when the immune system is weakened, perhaps due to age or to a medical condition such as Hodgkin's disease, AIDS or leukemia. It is possible to catch chickenpox when exposed to these patients. If someone in the family has shingles, it is wise to isolate them as much as possible from other family members until the crusts have healed.
Shingles is a major threat to anyone in the family with poor immune status.
The pain of shingles can be excruciating at times, since it affects the nerves. One patient described it as though she were being stabbed in the abdomen with a white-hot poker. Even a breeze or the pressure from clothing or the slight weight of a bedsheet can be extremely painful. Patients have been known to lose their appetite, have disrupted sleep, undergo mood changes, and withdraw from social contact. Pain is more likely to be severe in older patients.