Brief Answer: possibility of "Shinlges" Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome and thank for posting your query to the forum. I can understand your concern for the painful, itchy rash on the top of left breast. After reading the complete query I can make out the possibility of "Shinlges" medically known as "Herpes Zoster". To confirm the above I request you to please kindly elaborate your query in detail so that I can help you best regarding the health issues. Kindly elaborate the problem in terms of - - Since how long the problem started - is it within few days of period ( it is most important to know the exact time period since the problem begun). - Is it for the first time in life that you felt such kind of symptoms. - Is the pain and itching present continuously or at some specific time. - Do you feel any bumps or eruptions appear slightly red and fluid filled. If you feel any bumps or eruptions or even redness then can send a picture of the back and breast area so that I can analyze it better. For that you have a feature to upload images by yourself at the right side of the query page. Or else, you can send as an attachment to YYYY@YYYY with the subject as "Attn: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia). Hope to hear soon from your side. Wish you good health. Regards. Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia MD (Dermatology & STD) Kindly also provide anything related to query which you think is important to tell us. Hope to hear you soon from your side to help and guide you best. With best health wishes, Dr Sanjay MD Dermatology

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Brief Answer: Shingles- Take pain killers round the clock Detailed Answer: Hello young lady, Welcome again to the forum. Thanks for uploading the picture and the relevant details of the problem. In the picture I can see patch with couple of deeply red areas. The picture as well as the details are now sufficient to diagnose your condition as shingles because of its sudden appearance, pain, deep redness and further spread to the strictly one side of chest and shoulder area in 1 week of period. It is not unusual to find such kind of picture in zoster where rather than blister only some red areas with pain are present on one side of body not crossing the mid-line. This is because of good immunity present in young persons like you. The hallmark of the condition is seer pain with the rash appearing on one side of body in grouped manner (as in your case). In general if we diagnose the entity in 72 hours of onset then we start antiviral tablets such as Acyclovir or Valacycloir. But as there had been more than 72 hours so there is no need to take the antiviral medicines. I suggest you to take a painkiller tablet such as paracetamol by mouth for two to three times a day after meals. This will reduce the pain intensity and if pain persists then you can take it for 4 times after meals at a gap of 8 hours. For the itching part antihistamine tablet such as Loratadine (Claritin or lorfast) would be most appropriate to be taken in the same manner as for paracetamol. You can apply an antibacterial cream such as fucidin or mupirocin and calamine lotion over the red areas to prevent any secondary infection and soothing effect to the area. I further request you to not to touch the areas unnecessarily as it can cause further aggravation. The pain may remain for few weeks of period and then the intensity will subside. I further suggest you to go for vaccination of your children for chicken pox (if not done before) as is the same group of virus. I hope these information will help you in dealing the condition better. If you have any further queries I will be glad to help you or if not then can close the discussion and rate the answer. With best wishes of early recovery of the problem. Regards. Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia MD (Dermatology & STD)

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