3. Loss of taste
The varicella-zoster virus has been known to negatively impact various senses of the body. The first is your sense of sight as we covered in the previous symptom, but what many people might not know is that your sense of taste can also be affected when you have shingles due to the way that the varicella-zoster virus affects your body.
Much like painful eyes, loss of taste isn’t exclusive to shingles and can also be caused by other conditions that aren’t related to varicella-zoster. Sinus infections, smoking, and even the common cold could suppress your taste buds and make it harder for you to pick up on flavors of your food. That being said, if you notice a loss of taste and it comes in unison with the other symptoms indicative of varicella-zoster then you’re likely dealing with a case of shingles.