Diagnosis of shingles on the abdomen
A doctor first takes a medical history. This can find out whether and when a chickenpox virus was passed through. In addition, the cause for reactivation can be found out.
The doctor looks at the abdominal area. Often a medical history and a gaze diagnosis is sufficient for the diagnosis if the rash is already present. The symptoms before the rash on the abdomen can be misinterpreted as stomach problems, for example.
However, if there are any uncertainties, laboratory tests are performed. Blood is taken and/or a smear is taken from the contents of the skin blisters. Certain methods can be used to detect the Varicella zoster virus.
For example, antibody detection, an immunofluorescence test or a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are available. If no obvious causes can be found, it is important to observe whether this immune deficiency is permanently present. Possibly it may have been caused by diseases that manifest themselves in complaints at a late stage.
This must be taken into account in the diagnosis. For example, a cancerous disease or an HIV infection can lead to a weakness of the immune system, which can cause shingles on the stomach. Therefore, in high-risk patients, these diseases should be excluded by examinations.
Accompanying symptoms of shingles on the stomach
As concomitant symptoms of shingles on the stomach, fatigue, exhaustion and a general feeling of illness can also occur. In addition, fever and flu-like complaints with limb and headaches can develop. Also a kind of abdominal pain, abdominal cramps or diarrhoea may develop.
Especially on the days before the rash is visible on the abdomen, the accompanying symptoms can lead to a false diagnosis and incorrect (self-)treatment. Furthermore, patients may complain of itching in addition to the characteristic rash. In some cases, there may be swelling of the skin of the brook, numbness in the abdomen, and tingling of the abdominal skin.
In addition, there may be pain on touch and radiating pain. These pains and sensations can occur to varying degrees. In rare cases, the painful, hemiplegic rash also occurs in another part of the body.
Very rarely both halves of the abdomen are affected. Due to the inflammatory reactions in the body, swelling of the abdomen can occur.The body’s own defense system begins to defend itself against the reactivated viruses. This releases various cellular factors and messenger substances.
One of the messenger substances is histamine. It ensures, among other things, that there is increased vascular permeability. This is important so that the immune cells can reach the damaged body cells.
This increased vascular permeability can lead to swelling of the abdomen. The pain in the abdomen is often described as pulsating and/or stabbing and dull. In most cases, the pain is perceived as very strong.
Often the pain is not limited to the area of the rash, but radiates into surrounding unaffected skin areas of the abdomen. In the context of shingles in the abdomen, abdominal pain is often experienced. They often occur both a few days before the onset of the rash and during the disease.
The abdominal pain is usually located in the upper abdomen below the costal arch. During the disease, abdominal pain can also occur in combination with other gastrointestinal complaints. In some cases, the medication taken to treat shingles causes abdominal pain and gastrointestinal complaints.
In about 20% of people suffering from shingles, abdominal pain can lead to a complication. In some cases this can lead to paralysis, for example in the face. Paralysis of the gastrointestinal tract is rather rare. These can lead to digestive disorders and intestinal obstruction. In most cases, these complications can be prevented by a timely visit to the doctor.
