– Advanced age: Older adults are at greater risk because the immune system tends to weaken with age.
– Stress: Highly stressful situations can weaken the immune system and facilitate the reactivation of the virus.
– Illnesses: Conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, or treatments like chemotherapy can affect the body’s ability to fight infections.
– Immunosuppressants: Medications that suppress the immune system can increase the risk of reactivation.
Symptoms of shingles
The symptoms of shingles can vary in intensity and duration. Below are the most common:
1. Pain and burning
One of the first symptoms people usually experience is intense pain in a specific area of the body. This pain may feel like a stabbing or burning sensation and often appears on one side of the torso or face.
2. Skin rash
Once the pain begins, a skin rash typically appears within one or two days. This rash is characterized by blisters that may be small and filled with fluid, and they often resemble a burn.
The rash develops in a linear pattern that follows the path of the affected nerves.
