Watch out: Stress of caregiving can lead to shingles

My friend has shingles.

She is the primary caregiver to a mother who has Alzheimer's disease. Does the stress of that role make her more prone to shingles?

Probably.

A weakened immune system is one risk factor.

It's not proven, but "most researchers believe that when the body's immune response, which normally keeps the virus in check, is temporarily weakened, the shackles on the virus are somehow removed, allowing it to multiply and travel along nerve fibers toward the skin on the surface of the body," says HealthCentral. "The fact that the disease occurs more often in people over the age of 50 supports this theory, as the immune response is believed to wane with age. Other factors that can also trigger a zoster attack in healthy people include trauma or stress."

Not only can stress lead to shingles, if you get shingles, stress can make it even worse, making the itching, burning, painful rash seem worse--and lengthening your recovery time, reports Everyday Health.

Learn more about shingles, from eMedicine.com