Shingles usually affects a specific area on one side of the body and does not cross over the midline of the body (an imaginary line running from between your eyes down past the belly button). The main symptom is a painful rash that develops into itchy blisters that contain particles of the virus. An episode of shingles typically lasts around two to four weeks, although around one in five people go on to develop nerve pain called postherpetic neuralgia in the affected area of skin. Read more about the symptoms of shingles.