Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is associated with malaise, wherein a person experiences higher levels of fatigue, usually lasting for several months. The fatigue worsens after mental or physical exercise, and rest cannot alleviate the feeling.
Scientists are still searching for the exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, and one area they are devoting more focus to is viral infections, such as Q fever, Ross River virus, and Epstein-Barr virus.
In addition to these infections, scientists are also looking at other possible causes, like shingles. In a 2009 research review, scientists looked at shingles as a possible reason for CFS because the Varicella zoster virus (VZV) stays dormant in the nerve cells of people who have chickenpox. Once reactivated, the virus causes shingles. In a large-scale study in 2014, researchers found that most people with shingles were more prone to develop chronic fatigue syndrome later.
The feelings of fatigue can last long after the symptoms of shingles disappear. In some instances, the fatigue’s indirect cause is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is the shingles’ most common complication. The area where PHN occurs becomes more sensitive, and even the lightest touch can be painful.
