Most people will experience stress at some time in their lives. Situations such as losing a job, drowning in heavy debt or being diagnosed with a sickness can vastly increase stress levels. This may influence general health, and cause depression and immune system weakness. So when you suddenly get a rash, it might just have been caused by stress.
Nondyebo Mgoboza of Mfuleni, Cape Town, was diagnosed with shingles a few weeks ago. She says the pain began in her back, and the next day she saw some rash patches that grew into blisters surrounding her tummy.
“I went to see a doctor after experiencing fatigue, blisters around my upper body from the breasts to the spine, fever, body itching, chills, and lack of appetite.”
Mgoboza tells Health For Mzansi that her doctor had asked her if there was anything bothering her.
“I told the doctor I was having a hard time. I had trouble sleeping and I was feeling overwhelmed. She then informed me that shingles might be triggered by stress.”
According to Mgoboza, she was given some sort of sleeping pills and pain relievers and the shingles disappeared in two weeks.
Doc, is there a relationship between shingles and stress?
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a common viral illness that causes a widespread, painful rash with blisters, says Dr Ephraim Kgoete, founder of Khayalami Medical Solutions in Tzaneen, Limpopo.
“The rash generally occurs on one side of the body or forms on the torso from one side of the body to the other, or neck.”
Dr Ephraim Kgoete
Because they belong to the same viral family, Kgoete says chickenpox and shingles are often confused.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is also responsible for chickenpox.
Fever is one of the symptoms of shingles, and before the rash emerges, patients typically experience soreness, itching, or tingling in the area where the rash will occur.
Since stress can weaken the immune system, shingles can develop in such a context. “Not everyone who is stressed will have shingles; it all depends on how stressed you are,” Kgoete adds.
The shingles and HIV connection: who is at risk?
According to Kgoete, shingles has been stigmatised alongside HIV. He explains that patients with untreated HIV or stage 3 HIV are more prone to acquire shingles because their immune systems are compromised.
Those with lower CD4 cells and higher HIV viral loads are more likely to get shingles and experience more severe complications.
He adds that not only persons living with HIV are at risk for developing shingles.
“Those with diabetes, those receiving cancer treatment, lupus, and those using steroids for arthritis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are all at risk for contracting shingles.”
Dr Ephraim Kgoete
He points out that people can have shingles whether they are HIV positive or not, especially if their immune system weakens at some point.
It affects youngsters, seniors, and even those beyond the age of 60, though rarely children, Kgoete explains.
Chickenpox, shingles, stigma, and treatment options
Since chickenpox and shingles are both driven by the varicella-zoster virus, they are both infectious, says Kgoete.
“The best way to avoid chickenpox, especially in youngsters, is to vaccinate them. Chickenpox is no longer a threat due to immunisation.”
Isolating children, particularly those who attend daycare and school, is the greatest approach for preventing transmission to other children in the class.
Since they are both skin infections, if someone comes into close touch with someone who has shingles and becomes infected, they will develop chickenpox rather than shingles.
However, Kgoete says shingles is not a life-threatening illness, especially when it is merely a primary shingles condition. But, if someone has shingles along with other medical illnesses such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and HIV, they may die as a result of those medical conditions.
Shingles can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription medication, adds Kgoete.
“We borrow primary antidepressants and pain relievers to treat shingles, and it has worked quite well for years.”
Dr Ephraim Kgoete
Shingles can vanish in as little as two weeks. He recommends that people seek medical advice in order to comprehend what triggered them.
Stress and physical appearance
Nozuko Nqana, an education psychologist from Pietermaritzburg’s Scottsville Primary School, says stress-related disorders are a complex mental condition, especially if left untreated.
“It can have a minor impact or cause major harm if left untreated.”
Because of how the body and the brain interact with one another, the body may occasionally expel specific fluids, signalling to the body that there is an imbalance within, she says.
“When the body gets such information, it differs from one person to the next. Some people will react by exhibiting what is known in psychology as a somatic symptom.”
Educational psychologist Nozuko Nqana
This includes persons who have headaches when stressed, a rash, tight muscles, blurred vision, measles, diabetes, high blood pressure, and so on, she adds.
According to Nqana, stress can manifest through physical symptoms. The best way to deal with it is to go and see your doctor or therapist.
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