What is herpes zoster more commonly known as?

Herpes zoster is more commonly known as shingles. This viral infection is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After someone has had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the body's nerve tissues and can reactivate years later, leading to shingles. Symptoms typically include a painful rash that develops on one side of the body, often accompanied by itching, burning, or tingling sensations.

Understanding this condition is important for recognizing its distinctive symptoms and for differentiating it from other illnesses. For instance, chickenpox is the initial infection caused by the same virus, but it results in an itchy rash and fever during childhood. Measles is a completely different viral infection characterized by a specific rash and respiratory symptoms, and ringworm is a fungal infection, not a viral one, hence none of these can be confused with shingles.