When a Strange Sensation Turns Into Something More

It started so casually, I almost ignored it.

We were entertaining a family member on Friday, just visiting, nothing out of the ordinary. Then out of nowhere, I felt it, a strange, needle-like sensation just under my right eye. It wasn’t quite pain but it wasn't comfortable either.

It travelled upward toward my eyebrow, almost like something was “waking up” under my skin.

Naturally, I kept touching it. Pressing it. Trying to figure out what on earth it could be.

We’ve all done that, right? That moment where your body does something unusual and your brain goes, “Well… that’s new.”

At the time, I had no idea that it was the beginning of something much bigger.

The Next Day: A Tiny Clue

The following day, life carried on as usual. I was out enjoying time with my grandchildren; fresh air, movement, laughter; all the good things.

Then someone pointed it out. “There’s something on your temple.” I reached up and felt it. A tiny rash. Nothing dramatic. Just a small area that didn’t look quite right but easy to brush off and easy to ignore.

If I’m being honest, I didn’t think much of it at all.

The Fast Shift

By Saturday night, things changed.

The swelling began around my temple and eye, the rash started to spread and it wasn’t subtle anymore.

By Sunday morning, it escalated to a level I had never experienced before. I rolled over in bed, and just the touch of my pillowcase against my face was excruciating. Let me say that again, a pillowcase felt painful.

That was the moment I knew something wasn’t right. I went to the hospital early that morning.

The Diagnosis

At the hospital, they suspected shingles and referred me to an ophthalmologist. I was immediately prescribed Valacyclovir (an antiviral medication) along with a strong antibiotic as a preventative measure.

Even with medication started, the next couple of days were intense.

• The swelling increased

• The headaches became severe, unlike anything I’ve ever had

• I experienced blurry vision

• There was pressure behind my right eye
  

It wasn’t just discomfort. It was all consuming.

The Pain

We hear about shingles, but I don’t think we truly understand the type of pain unless we go through it. This wasn’t a typical headache or skin irritation. This was nerve pain. Light touch hurt.  Even a tear rolling down my face caused pain.  My cheek, under-eye, and temple felt hypersensitive.  The sensation was sharp, deep, and constant.  It was honestly one of the most painful experiences I’ve had. And yet, this is where I was incredibly lucky.

Seeing the Ophthalmologist

A couple of days later, I saw the ophthalmologist. By then, it was confirmed: Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus, commonly known as eye shingles. Sounds intense, because it is. But here’s the part that changed everything. Because I started antiviral medication within the critical first 72 hours, it made a huge difference. I avoided the typical blistering stage. My level of contagiousness was significantly reduced.  Most importantly, there was no nerve damage to my eye.

The blurry vision and pressure? Temporary, caused by inflammation, not permanent damage. Hearing that was a massive relief.

What I Learned

Here’s something many of us don’t fully realize: If you’ve had chickenpox, the virus never truly leaves your body. It stays dormant in your nervous system, sometimes for decades. Then, for reasons not always obvious, it can reactivate as shingles.

Common Triggers

While stress is a big one (and yes, that hit home a little), there are a few others: physical or emotional stress, weakened immune system, aging (risk increases over 50 - hello, reality check), illness or infection, fatigue or lack of sleep and certain medications that suppress the immune system.   And sometimes, there’s no clear reason at all.

The Contagious Part

This part surprised me too. You can’t “give” someone shingles. However, if you have active blisters, you can pass the chickenpox virus to someone who hasn’t had it, especially: young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. In my case, because I started treatment early and avoided blistering, the risk was significantly reduced. Still, it’s always best to err on the side of caution.

Where I’m At Now

Monday was probably my peak in terms of symptoms. But now? The medication is doing its job. The swelling is going down.  The headaches are easing.  The pressure behind my eye is improving.  And by the weekend, I expect to feel like myself again - which is a gift after a week like this.

The Takeaway

If something feels off, especially around your face or eye, don’t wait it out. That early window (the first 72 hours) matters more than we realize. It can change the entire course of what you experience. I didn’t know what I was dealing with at first. But acting when the pain escalated made all the difference.

This experience caught me off guard. It started as a strange sensation I couldn’t explain and quickly turned into something intense and overwhelming. But it also reminded me of something important: we don’t always get to choose what shows up in our lives but sometimes, we do get to change how it unfolds by acting early.

We often overlook the fact that our bodies speak to us long before things escalate. We’re so used to brushing things off, staying busy, or pushing through, telling ourselves it’s probably nothing. But our bodies are incredibly good at giving us early warning signs, we just don’t always listen.

This time, I listened - maybe not right away, but soon enough and it made all the difference.  So, if something feels off, even if you can’t quite explain it, pause. Pay attention. Trust it. It might be nothing. But it also might be something worth catching early.

As I learned this week, timing can change everything.