There are a number of reasons that emotional stresses can make our bodies more susceptible to the shingles virus. One of the important reasons is that stress lowers our immunity and our ability to ward off disease, and our bodies are unable to fight the virus. People with anxiety and depression may be more prone to shingles outbreaks because of the chronic emotional stress their bodies are under.
There are different kinds of emotional stresses; stress can be acute, such as experiencing the loss of a close friend or family member, or chronic and due to life and work pressures. Some people overwork themselves with others have uncontrollable circumstances that put them under emotional stress.
Stress also makes people experience pain differently, usually more intensely. The pain of the shingles rash, including the burning, itching or aching is usually more noticeable when a person is under emotional stress during a shingles outbreak, and can be a lot more difficult for them to tolerate. Prolonged stress can also make the body less likely to recover quickly from illness because it is under the effects of stress, and immunity continues to be compromised. A prolonged outbreak of shingles can make you more susceptible to complications, like post herpetic neuralgia as well.
If recurrent shingles is a problem in your life, stress management could play an important role in keeping it under control. Issues that would need to be considered include finding ways for emotional release and maintaining a sense of calm during stressful periods, a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a life and work balance. Meditation and exercises like yoga and tai chi have also proven to be effective ways of helping people to manage stress and recover from shingles.
Doctors at clinics in Las Vegas can help you to come up with a strategy to manage your stress more effectively and offer treatment that reduces the length of a shingles outbreak.