When tired due to fatigue, such as from stress or severe exhaustion, the skin may become itchy and stinging. In particular, a band-shaped skin rash may occur. This is a characteristic symptom of shingles. If you had chickenpox as a child or have been exposed to the varicella-zoster virus, the virus remains dormant in your body for life. When your immune system weakens due to fatigue, the virus can become active and cause shingles.

 

Herpes zoster appears immediately if there is an abnormality in immunity.

 

Herpes zoster, meaning 'band-shaped rash,' is a disease characterized by pain on the skin along with striped rashes and blisters. The herpes zoster virus hides in the 'ganglia' (nerve cell clusters outside the brain and spinal cord) of areas where rashes were previously severe.

 

If there is a problem with the body's immune system, dormant nerve ganglia are reactivated, causing skin inflammation, pain, blisters, and other symptoms. The main cause of shingles is a weakened immune system due to emotional stress, anxiety, and similar factors. Tumors are also related. Patients with underlying conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are also at high risk for shingles.

◇ Mild pain can cause tingling or discomfort.

 

When experiencing the following symptoms, shingles may be suspected: sensation abnormalities or pain in a specific area of the body starting 4 to 5 days before the rash appears; sharp pain such as stabbing or a feeling of being cut with a knife; swelling, fever, and muscle aches. The pain can also occur with light contact from blankets or clothing.

 

Subsequently, blisters and rashes appear on the skin, mainly along the nerve ganglia. They frequently occur in a band-like pattern. When blisters occur along the facial nerve, rare severe sequelae such as visual impairment, hearing impairment, and facial nerve paralysis may occur.

 

◇To treat and prevent shingles, boosting immunity is key

 

Herpes zoster is initially treated with antiviral medication. Since it can later lead to neuralgia, pain relievers are used to alleviate the pain in such cases. The type of pain reliever varies depending on the severity of the symptoms. If you are afraid of pain caused by herpes zoster, it is advisable to get the herpes zoster vaccine.

 

The shingles vaccine is known to reduce the risk of postherpetic neuralgia. In particular, the risk of shingles and its complications is higher in the elderly, so vaccination against shingles is recommended for older adults.

 

Additionally, to prevent shingles, strengthening the immune system is the most important. Lifestyle habits to boost immunity include ▲drinking water frequently ▲getting 7 hours of sleep a day ▲exposing oneself to sunlight for 20 minutes a day ▲engaging in light exercise and stretching.

 

===========

 

I haven't had shingles before.

They say this could happen anywhere.

 

Building immunity is the most important.