In the last week, I experienced severe nerve pain in my radial nerve (the big one that runs from your back down the inside of your arm). At first I thought I had pinched a nerve in my right shoulder, it's been screwed up for years. But Saturday a rash showed up on the underside of my arm, and after googling it, I figured I had shingles.
I went to the VA promptly Monday morning, and they took care of me promptly, providing me with pain meds and an anti viral, hopefully this will clear it up in a couple of weeks, without complications (possible long term, even permanent, pain). I had the chicken pox (in 1957), but wasn't worried about shingles. as I only knew about the rash. The real kicker is that it attacks nerves, and the skin rash is just a side benefit. So, if you had chicken pox (before the inoculation became available) get the preventative inoculation as soon as you can, this crap HURTS.