Making the Diagnosis
With shingles, the rash is fairly characteristic and easy to identify.
If necessary, your doctor can have the fluid from your blisters analyzed to
see if it contains the varicella-zoster virus.
In order to reduce the chances of developing complications, it's a good idea
to see your doctor right away if you suspect you might have shingles. However,
the warning symptoms are not sufficient to diagnose shingles, since they're
similar to the symptoms of a number of other conditions.