Shingles, a painful and often long-lasting condition, is an infection produced by the same virus that causes chicken pox.

According to the U.S. government's National Institute on Aging, shingles travels down long nerve fibers and causes rashes and painful inflammations.

Older people with weakened immune systems are most likely to get shingles, with those over 80 often five times more likely to get shingles than those aged 40 and younger.

Shingles can strike any part of the body, but the areas most often affected are the rib cage and the face. About 40 percent of the cases affect the eyes.

Because shingles is a viral infection, there is no cure. Treatment includes antiviral medication and in severe cases, numbing patches, tricyclic antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications.