Shingles is a secondary disease of the disease "chickenpox", which often occurs in childhood.
Shingles does not always have to occur, but there can also be other causes due to immunodeficiency or stress. This reactivates the varicella zoster virus and thus leads to a skin reaction and other symptoms.
The basic cause of the development of shingles is the varicella zoster virus.
The virus belongs to the group of herpes viruses and is also called by medical professionals Human herpes virus type 3 (HHV- 3) designated. The varicella zoster virus is relatively closely related to the herpes simplex virus, but there is no cross immunity.
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If a person comes into contact with this virus for the first time, usually in childhood, the disease "chickenpox" is triggered. After the symptoms have subsided, the virus migrates along the nerve fibers to special nerve nodes. These are primarily located on the spine and are known as the spinal ganglia. Other nerve nodes (ganglia) are in the brain. The virus remains in these nerve nodes, in the brain or on the spine, and can lodge there for life.
In most cases it does not cause illness.
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Some circumstances, such as a lot of stress, a weakened immune system or a chronic illness, can help the virus to reactivate. The exact reasons for reactivation have not yet been clarified. '
It is noticeable, however, that people with a severely impaired immune system, cancer or HIV infection are significantly more likely to develop shingles.
Some drugs that suppress the immune system, such as TNF-alpha blockers, can also help reactivate the virus. Strong solar radiation (UV light) and genetic predisposition are also discussed as causes.
Once activated in the ganglia, the virus begins to multiply and cause inflammation in the affected nerve tissue. This leads to the belt-shaped spread of the vesicles and reddening along the skin, which is supplied by the affected nerve cord. The inflammation of the nerve tissue also leads to severe pain, often the first symptom.
In summary, this means that the cause of shingles is always a previous infection with the varicella-zoster virus and an associated chickenpox disease.
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Shingles is a viral disease. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV).
If you are infected with the virus for the first time, you will get chickenpox. Even if the chickenpox heals without any visible sequelae, the virus survives in the nerve cells of the spinal cord. For patients who had chickenpox as a child, shingles is not contagious. You already have the virus in you.
Patients who have never had contact with the virus can become infected through contact with the rash in shingles patients or through a droplet infection in chickenpox patients.
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Shingles usually occurs on the chest, stomach or back. This is what gave the disease its name. The rash spreads like a belt on the trunk of the body.
$config[ads_text2] not foundHowever, all locations for shingles are conceivable. There is therefore also shingles on the neck, face or scalp. Shingles, which affects the eye, is particularly dangerous. Ultimately, it cannot be said at which location the shingles breaks out. There are no particular risk factors for this.
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Shingles is more common with age.
The disease is less common in young people than in people who are over 45 years of age. Shingles (Zoster) is caused by the same virus as chickenpox - the varicella-zoster virus. The first infection, which in most cases occurs in childhood, results in chickenpox.
The viruses attack the body and settle in various nerve nodes. After a single infection, the person affected is a lifelong carrier of the pathogen. Often, however, these remain silent and never trigger an illness again. If the virus reactivates, this manifests itself in shingles.
The virus can only be reactivated if the function of the immune system is impaired. A restriction of this kind can have different causes. Especially in young people, stress, an irregular and often unhealthy diet and lack of sleep play an important role in this regard.
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On the other hand, traumatic injuries due to accidents, various medications or excessive UV radiation can be the background of the disease. Young people in particular tend to use sunbathing to beautify their complexion in their pursuit of good looks. This supernatural irradiation of the skin can trigger a stressful situation for them, which can ultimately lead to shingles.
All other causes also play a role - only the combination of different aspects weakens the immune system enough for a viral reactivation to occur.
Read more on the topic: Shingles in children
Stress arises in many situations and is the body's response to increased demands or difficult conditions.
Under stress, people are instinctively in "fight or flight mode". At the same time, he is able to perform better, which, however, saps his strength - and thus also the immune system.
The unspecific immune defense is in an active state under stress - to the detriment of the specific immune defense. This is responsible for the defense against pathogens of recurring infections, thus also for preventing reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. If the defense falls, the disease can manifest itself and shingles develops.
Stressful situations in the form of an escape or a struggle for survival rarely occur these days. The underlying problems arise from demands at work or at university, but also from everyday life, from family and friends.
Stress can increase performance and lead to faster problem solving - but it is unhealthy in the long run. The body cannot cope with a permanently activated state and sooner or later gives in and becomes ill. Such prolonged conditions can be triggered, for example, by a lack of money, an insecure employment relationship, a busy schedule, a broken friendship or a problematic partnership.
You might also be interested in: Stress rash
Direct sunlight on the skin is never recommended from a medical point of view.
If the skin is attacked by shingles, it must be protected from the sun. But even an area of skin with recently healed shingles should be protected from the sun. The UV radiation can stress the skin; this encourages the shingles to flare up again.
So you should avoid direct sunlight for some time both with acute shingles and afterwards.
You can find useful tips on the subject here: This is how you can prevent sunburn
Mental tension states also affect physical health.
The immune system suffers from psychological problems just like the human being internally or mentally. This is often expressed through the skin. Many people tend to develop skin problems from stressful situations that last for a while. And it is the same with psychological causes of shingles - the tension and inner restlessness caused by various negative feelings that are not expressed increases the risk of the virus reactivating.
There are needs that cannot or must not be expressed and therefore cannot be met.
Feelings are not or only incompletely lived out due to different backgrounds, which disturbs and violates the inner balance. Aggressive impulses build up and create a tense, negative state. All of these circumstances can lead to the deficits that exist in the emotional world being expressed on a somatic, i.e. physical level.
Herpes zoster, shingles, is a common psychosomatic disease (diseases caused by the psyche). If the suspicion of a psychosomatic problem can be confirmed, a psychological "cure" should be sought in addition to treating the disease.
The healthy living out of personal feelings and a relaxed psyche not only prevent the reactivation of the virus, but also allow other problems to be solved more effectively.
Also interesting: Mental disorder
