It has been reported that some patients have been misdiagnosed with Hives, when in fact the correct diagnosis in their specific case was Shingles.
Shingles is a viral infection caused by varicella-zoster virus that results in a painful rash that can occur anywhere on the body, but usually on side of the torso. This is the same virus that causes chicken pox and after that disease has run its course the virus lies dormant in the nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years later during times of stress the virus can reactivate as shingles. Symptoms of the infection include pain, burning, numbness or tingling, sensitivity to touch, red rash that begins a few days after the pain, fluid filled blisters that break open and crust over, itching, fever, headache, and fatigue. Shingles as a rash can be easily misdiagnosed as other dermatological conditions hives, psoriasis, eczema or allergic skin conditions.