Just a follow-up from me - I contacted my surgery and spoke to a GP - he didn’t rule out shingles but said it was too late for treatment now anyway.

I think my symptoms are abating - I’m having longer spells with no pain at all, where it all feels normal.

I do so thank you for your reply as thinking about it, I may have had a bout of shingles that began in Janaury - albeit fairly mild (though very uncomfortable at times) which would explain the lesions up my left nostril (and the bleeding from my left nostril) and why the pain only affects my left side - which I guess will be nerve pain from the shingles (thankfully at present getting less and less).

I did have shingles around 15 years ago (which was caught early and I was put on Aciclovir - I had no pain or itching, just a few red spots on my left inner thigh) and I remembered I took some L-Lysine at the time, and although it’s a bit late for that now, I am taking it anyway for 10-15 days.

Many thanks once again.