Stress as a cause
Stress arises in many situations and is a response of the body to increased demands or aggravated conditions. Under stress, the person is instinctively in “fight or flight mode”. This enables him to perform better, but it drains his strength – and thus also his immune system.
The non-specific immune defense is in an active state under stress – to the detriment of the specific immune defense. The specific immune defense is responsible for the defense against pathogens of recurrent infections and thus also for preventing a reactivation of the varicella zoster virus. If the defense fails, the disease can manifest itself and shingles develops.
Stress situations in the form of an escape or a fight for survival rarely occur nowadays. The underlying problems are caused by demands at work or at university, but also by everyday life, family and friends. Stress can increase performance and lead to accelerated 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, becomes ill. Such prolonged states can be triggered by, for example, lack of money, an insecure job, a busy schedule, a breaking friendship or a problematic partnership.
Sunrays as a cause
Direct sunlight on the skin is never recommended from a medical point of view. If the skin is affected by shingles, it must be protected from the sun. But even a skin area with recently healed shingles should be protected from the sun. UV radiation can cause stress for the skin; this favors a renewed flare-up of shingles. One should therefore avoid direct sunlight for some time, both with acute shingles and afterwards.
Mental causes
Psychological states of tension also have an impact on physical health. The immune system suffers from psychological problems just as much as the human being suffers internally or mentally. This often manifests itself through the skin.
Many people tend to develop skin problems under stressful situations that last for a while. And so it is with psychological causes of shingles – the tension and inner restlessness caused by various negative feelings that are not expressed increases the risk of reactivation of the virus. There are needs that cannot or must not be expressed and therefore cannot be fulfilled.
Due to different backgrounds, feelings are not or only incompletely acted out, which disturbs and hurts the inner balance. Aggressive impulses accumulate and create a tense, negative state. All these circumstances can lead to the fact that the deficits that exist in the emotional world are expressed on a somatic, i.e. physical level.
Herpes zoster, or shingles, is a common disease in psychosomatic medicine (diseases triggered by the psyche). If the suspicion of a psychosomatic problem can be confirmed, a psychological “cure” should be sought in addition to treatment of the disease. The healthy expression of personal feelings and a relaxed psyche not only prevent the reactivation of the virus but also allow a more powerful solution to other problems.
- Shingles pain
- Course of shingles
- Shingles during pregnancy
- Medicines for shingles
- Zostavax® vaccination against shingles
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