Facts About What Cause Shingles

By: Rashel Dan

Anyone from both genders can get shingles. In fact, it is estimated that about a million Americans get shingles each year. Understanding the facts about what cause shingles can get you on the right track to medication and treatment.

Fact #1: Shingles virus is not something you can catch from another person - it can just get reactivated.

The virus that causes shingles is the same one that causes chicken pox: the varicella zoster. When a person gets chicken pox, the virus can hide itself in the body and can be reactivated once the immune system becomes weak.

It is a fallacy to say that you have caught the shingles from someone suffering from it. You can only get chicken pox from someone who has the shingles virus and who has fresh blisters. Shingles therefore is like another belated but more severe bout of chicken pox.

Facts #2: You may or may not have shingles.

If you have had chicken pox, it does not automatically follow that you will get shingles. It is estimated though that one in every ten individuals will develop shingles at a later age. It is still not clear whether what cause shingles can cause repeated episodes of shingles. It is believed though that shingles usually happens only once and that a repeat of it is possible but is not always the case.

Fact #3: Shingles virus is not similar to other herpes viruses.

Understanding what cause shingles can help people understand that the virus responsible for shingles is a herpes virus. This is why shingles is also known as herpes zoster. This does not mean though that what cause shingles can also cause genital herpes or mouth sores. The only reason why they all belong to the herpes group of viruses is because herpes viruses have the ability to infect an individual once and then become dormant for a span of time. They can reactivate only when a there is a trigger.

Fact #4: A weak immune system is the crucial shingles trigger.

It is not true that you can get chicken pox and shingles and worsen your condition by eating chicken or other allergy inducing food. The real trigger for what cause shingles is a weak immune system. This is the reason why understanding what cause shingles is important for the elderly.

People 50 or 60 and above have a higher risk of manifesting shingles because their immune systems are no longer in top shape. It is also possible though that people with immune deficiencies and those sick with cancer and other serious ailments are also at high risk of developing shingles. Anyone with a weak immune system and has had chicken pox before can also have shingles.

Fact #5: Stress is a factor in shingles disease.

It is not entirely correct to say that stress is part of what cause shingles. Stress however can increase the chances of an individual who is prone to shingles to develop it. This is because stress can affect the immune system which can lead to a reactivation of the virus. Normal stress actually serves to activate the immune system. Too much stress however can increase the level of work of the immune system that it may stop responding to ailments like shingles.