About 1 in 3 Americans develop shingles in their lifetime — and antiviral treatment works best within 72 hours of rash onset. A Texas board-certified physician explains symptoms, treatment, and the Shingrix vaccine.
By Dr. Kathryn Kline, MD · Board-Certified Family Medicine Physician (ABFM) · Published 2026-06-19 · Updated 2026-06-22
About one in three Americans will develop shingles in their lifetime — and roughly one million cases occur in the United States every year. If you're reading this because you woke up with a burning, blistering rash on one side of your body, here's the single most important thing you need to know: antiviral treatment works best when started within 72 hours of rash onset. That clock is already ticking. The faster you see a doctor, the shorter and less painful your shingles episode is likely to be — and the lower your risk of lasting nerve pain that can persist for months.
This guide covers everything you need to know about shingles symptoms, treatment, the Shingrix vaccine, and when to seek care — including why a telehealth visit may be one of the fastest ways to get the prescription you need.
Shingles — known medically as herpes zoster — is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus responsible for chickenpox. After you recover from chickenpox (usually in childhood), VZV doesn't leave your body. Instead, it retreats into nerve cells near your spinal cord and brain, where it can remain dormant for decades.
Shingles itself cannot be "caught" from another person. However, someone with active shingles blisters can transmit the varicella-zoster virus to a person who has never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine. That person would develop chickenpox — not shingles. Once all blisters have crusted over completely, typically within 7–10 days, the person with shingles is no longer contagious.
A typical shingles episode lasts 2–4 weeks from rash onset to full healing. The blisters usually crust over within 7–10 days, and the scabs fall off over the following 1–2 weeks. However, nerve pain at the rash site can persist for weeks or months after the skin heals — a complication known as postherpetic neuralgia, which affects up to 18% of shingles patients.
Yes. While recurrence is uncommon, it is possible to have shingles more than once. Studies suggest that approximately 1–6% of shingles patients experience a recurrence, often years later. Vaccination with Shingrix after a shingles episode is still recommended to reduce the risk of future occurrences.
Yes. Shingles is diagnosed primarily by its characteristic visual appearance — a painful, blistering rash in a band pattern on one side of the body. A board-certified physician can assess this rash via a secure video visit and electronically prescribe antiviral medication (such as valacyclovir) directly to your pharmacy. Texas telehealth regulations allow full prescribing authority for licensed physicians conducting video visits.
The varicella-zoster virus reactivates when the immune system weakens — even temporarily. Common triggers include aging (immune function naturally declines with age), physical or emotional stress, illness or infection, immunosuppressive medications (chemotherapy, biologics, long-term steroids), and chronic conditions such as diabetes or chronic lung disease. There's no way to predict exactly when or if reactivation will occur, which is why vaccination is the best preventive strategy.
Treatment costs vary widely depending on where you seek care. A Trinity Family Medicine telehealth visit costs $49.99, and generic valacyclovir typically costs $15–50 at most pharmacies — putting total out-of-pocket treatment at approximately $65–100. By comparison, an urgent care visit averages $150–280, and an emergency room visit can exceed $1,500 — all before the cost of the medication itself.