It has recently come to our attention that researchers in the medical field have discovered a link between shingles and MS. Researchers in Taiwan released their findings, which showed the relationship between shingles and multiple sclerosis. They found that people who had developed shingles were four times as likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis within the following year. This was compared to people who had never experienced shingles. This link is important to study further, as it could give researchers more important information about how the multiple sclerosis patient’s body works both before and after diagnosis. It could also give insight as to why these two diseases are linked.
Shingles is related to chickenpox, which many people get in childhood. After someone has chickenpox, the disease lies dormant in their body within the nerve fibers. In some people, it can become active again, causing the painful disease shingles. Shingles is typically characterized by itchy, fluid filled blisters that are typically found around the back and chest. It may only be present on one side of the body. Shingles typically occurs in older adults, but it can occur at any age.
Why MS and Shingles Could Be Related
Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disorder in which the nervous system is affected. A process called demyelination occurs in the body and breaks down the protective myelin sheath surrounding the nerves. This causes problems with signals reaching the various areas of the body. Shingles, which is related to chickenpox, is stored in the nerve fibers of the body. This could cause a relation between shingles and multiple sclerosis.
Another reason they could be linked is because shingles is a disease that is associated with disruptions to the immune system. Multiple sclerosis is known as an autoimmune disorder. Having shingles could cause the body to trigger the onset of the chronic neurological disease multiple sclerosis.
There is still a lot of research that needs to be done in order to confirm the link between shingles and multiple sclerosis. For example, since the study was conducted in Taiwan, it does not encompass a wide variety of different races. The study also did not include whether the participants smoked cigarettes or drank alcohol, which could affect the overall results. However, it is a huge step in the right direction, and it can provide a lot of insight into both diseases and how they affect the human body.
