Can you get shingles behind the ear?

A shingles infection that affects the cranial nerves can cause rashes around the ear, on the mouth, and on the face, scalp, and neck, according to WebMD. Shingles is an infection with the varicella-zoster virus, reports Healthline.

The shingles rash is usually only present on one side of the body, according to Healthline. It takes approximately two to three weeks for the rash and infection to heal. Symptoms of shingles include rash, pain, a burning sensation, hearing loss and inflammation, reports WebMD. If the inflammation is severe enough, it can lead to a stroke. Some patients experience skin discoloration and scarring after the infection heals.