SINGAPORE: An elderly woman recently consulted several doctors after experiencing eye pain and headaches. It was not until blisters appeared on her forehead and eyelids that she was finally diagnosed with shingles.
Shingles is a disease that causes a painful rash triggered by the same virus that causes chickenpox. It usually appears as blisters on the body, and vaccines, along with early treatment, can reduce symptoms and complications.
This type of illness is not life-threatening but can cause long-lasting pain. In the elderly woman’s case, she vomited constantly and had to take sleeping pills to rest.
What happened?
The 64-year-old woman was unaware she was developing shingles when she first felt pain in her right eye and was unable to open it for some time. She said the pain lasted two days and affected her vision. She initially ignored it, but the pain gradually spread to her head, prompting her to seek treatment at the hospital.
Multiple doctors examined her, and tests—including blood work and an MRI scan—came back normal. The doctors administered antiviral IV fluids and painkillers to ease her symptoms. However, the pain persisted, her condition worsened, and she began experiencing nausea and vomiting.
She was then admitted for observation. Doctors discovered blisters on her forehead and eyelids, leading to a final diagnosis of shingles.
“At first, I kept vomiting and couldn’t eat anything; when I could eat again, I had no appetite at all,” the woman shared.
Before discharge, she developed a fever, but her temperature returned to normal after medication, and the vomiting subsided. She has now been discharged and is recovering at home.
Through this experience, the woman urges the public to seek medical attention as soon as any bodily abnormalities occur to receive the best possible treatment.
“Snakes don’t necessarily grow on your body; you never know where they’ll come from,” she declared.
