Shingles, a skin condition, have recently been linked to stress after a Reddit user reported developing rashes after submitting their university thesis.
An image of a leg with shingles was shared in the subreddit "Wellthatsucks" with the caption: "It feels like my skin is being melted off," a Newsweek report said.
‘Like My Skin Is Being Melted Off:’ Thesis Stress Gives Student Shingles https://t.co/dRvn5Ka7CX
— Masterjitips (@masterjitips) September 26, 2022
This post had been upvoted more than 33,000 times and gained more than 1,700 comments. Shingles, also called "herpes zoster," appears when a dormant chickenpox virus in the body has been reactivated.
While it is more typical in older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems, any person can develop shingles.
Almost All People Likely to Develop Chickenpox
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report specified one in every three people in the United States will develop shingles in their lifetime.
The most typical thing bringing on shingles is ill health, explained Marian Nicholson, the director of the Shingles Support Society. She added it could be "something like COVID-19 or only something "every day" like stress.
Following recovery from chickenpox, the virus that's causing it, known as varicella-zoster, stays in the body, lying dormant in the nervous system until the immune defenses are down.
More than 95 percent of the people have had chickenpox. This means over 95 percent of people could develop skin disease.
Shingles Linked to Stress
When a person is stressed, the body releases a hormone known as "cortisol," which suppresses the immune system.
Consequently, long periods of stress can seriously lessen the body's ability to combat infections, including dormant viruses.
Responding to the Reddit post, Nicholson explained the body keeps one going as long as he possibly can. Once he relaxes, the thing that has been held at bay can then come out and be annoying.
Essentially, the main symptom of shingles is a painful, blistery rash that lasts for weeks. Shingles are not something one can catch, although if one has never developed chickenpox before, he may be at risk of catching it from close contact with shingles blisters.
The health expert also explained that it might appear counter-intuitive, although for those who have contracted the virus, one of the best ways to shield oneself from shingles is to expose oneself to someone infected with chickenpox.
Shingles Treatment and Prevention
Responding to the post, one Reddit user said he had experienced nerve damage, known as postherpetic neuralgia, which can lead to long-term nerve pain for years following the initial disappearance of rashes.
The original user who posted about the shingles said he started to take antivirals for the skin infection. "It is definitely shingles," as specified in the updated post.
Nicholson also explained that the best way to protect oneself from such complications is to take antivirals. Treating and preventing shingles is also explained in a Healthline report.
Nicholson said the sooner a person gets treatment, the better. More so, if one experiences a mysterious pain or intolerable itch, he should think about shingles, then "go visit the doctor for consultation," she continued explaining.
Related information about the link between shingles and stress is shown in Tyler Lloyd's YouTube video below:
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