Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful viral infection that appears as a rash, typically forming around one side of your torso, although the infection can form anywhere on your body. A few days before the rash appears, you may experience tingling, itching, burning, soreness, or pain on a localized area on one side of your body. The rash usually appears with blisters on a red base in the same area as the symptoms.