Question about Shingles

[am1980]

Dear Doctor,

I am 28 years and have a painful rash on the right side of my body, mainly on the lower side of my abdomen and also on my buttock, the deramtolgist diagnosed it as shingles and gave me a cream and told it should heal in about 2 weeks.
I am afraid cause i also have other symptoms like fatigue, can't concentrate very well at work and sometimes headaches.

so will you please help me with the following questions..
1- I didn't have any health problems before, what might be the cause of shingles?
2- can the cause be stress and anxiety?
3- do i need to do any medical tests?
4- can the other symptoms cause problems? do i need to see other doctors?

thanks alot for your support.

[am1980]

Dear Doctor,

I need to ask one urgent question please, the symptoms started from 2 weeks and now the rash is getting better but today i started to feel that my right arm is senstive to touch, the same feeling that i felt before the appear of the rash, is it normal ? or a another rash will show up on my arm? is it the same or new outbreak? what should i do?

thanks a lot for the help.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

1- I didn't have any health problems before, what might be the cause of shingles?

Shingles (zoster) is caused by the chickenpox virus that's been hiding in one of your spinal nerves, and which--usually for no specific reason--reoccurs in one nerve region, on one side of the body.  As your doctor said, it goes away in a few weeks, especially in younger people.

2- can the cause be stress and anxiety?

No.  But it can cause stress and anxiety, if you worry about it, which you don't have to.

3- do i need to do any medical tests?

In the typical case, no tests are needed.  I assume your doctor thinks you are a typical case.  If you need to be reassured on this point, you should call and ask.

4- can the other symptoms cause problems? do i need to see other doctors?

Please seem my answer to question #3.  My answer to both parts of this question are no, in the typical case.

Please check with your doctor.  You should be fine.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff