Does shingles make you tired?

The most recognizable feature of shingles is the red, blistering rash it causes. But it can cause a whole host of other symptoms as well, including making you feel tired or run down, even if you’ve seemingly had plenty of rest.

The tiredness you feel is likely due to the effects of the shingles virus on your immune system. It may continue even after other symptoms have passed.

Shingles and tiredness

Tiredness may be one of the first symptoms you notice of shingles. You might feel run down or fatigued 2 to 3 days before skin blisters — the most recognizable symptom of shingles — appear. Medically, this stage is known as the pre-eruptive stage, and you may also feel pain or burning on your skin at this time.

The tiredness is likely linked to your immune system. Shingles is caused by a virus, so your immune system needs to use energy to fight that virus. This may leave you feeling unusually fatigued, even when you get enough rest.

Fatigue is strongly linked to a weakened immune system. In fact, myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue, is thought to be caused by problems with the immune system, a 2018 research suggests. This may be brought on by viral infections, which is why conditions like shingles may cause unusual feelings of tiredness.

You might also feel tired after other symptoms have passed. This is known as post-viral fatigue, which is also linked with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Similarly, about 1 in 5 people develop chronic pain, known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), after experiencing shingles. This can indirectly cause tiredness because you may find it difficult to sleep if your skin becomes painful and sensitive.

In fact, a 2020 research study involving 60 people with PHN found that stronger pain intensity was related to lower quality of life scores, including effects on sleep.

Other symptoms of shingles

After the pre-eruptive stage of shingles comes the acute eruptive stage. This causes a variety of symptoms, including:

• a blistering rash on just one side of your body
• numbness, tingling, or itching skin
• fever
• headache
• burning or shooting pain

It can sometimes look similar to other conditions, like eczema. If you notice these symptoms, it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional to receive an accurate diagnosis.

Treatments

Treating shingles effectively should, in turn, treat the tiredness you may feel. You may also consider lifestyle strategies alongside medications to help fight the feelings of fatigue.

Medications

The most common medications for treating shingles are antivirals, which help speed up recovery. These commonly include:

• acyclovir (Zovirax)
• famciclovir (Famvir)
• valacyclovir (Valtrex)

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These medications are most effective when taken within 3 days of the rash appearing.

Doctors might also prescribe a topical antibiotic like mupirocin (Bactroban) to help treat blisters if they become infected.

Finally, to ease any pain you might feel with shingles, you can try over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Natural remedies

Natural remedies will not cure the shingles but may help relieve the itching that comes with it. This, in turn, may help you get more sleep. Remedies include using a cool washcloth on your skin or taking an oatmeal bath.

It’s also important to ensure you get plenty of rest when you have shingles to promote healing and combat fatigue.

Lifestyle strategies

You can also try several lifestyle strategies in your day-to-day life to reduce tiredness, such as:

• drinking plenty of water, since fatigue and tiredness appear to be linked with dehydration, which occurs when your body doesn’t receive enough fluids
• reducing stress
• exercising regularly
• practicing healthy eating
• getting adequate sleep

Online care for shingles

It’s important to seek treatment for shingles within 3 days of noticing symptoms. Getting the right treatment quickly can help reduce symptoms like fatigue and prevent long-term PHN. It may also reduce the length of your illness.

Online care services, including Optum Perks Online Care, may make getting treatment easier. With these services, you can submit an online form answering a few questions about your symptoms, and a US-licensed healthcare professional will respond soon after to prescribe a treatment plan.

Preventing shingles

To avoid developing shingles altogether or reduce the severity of symptoms if you do get it, you may consider getting the shingles vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the vaccine for people over age 50 or people over age 19 who have weakened immune systems.

The currently available vaccine is called Shingrix. For adults over age 50, the vaccine is given in two doses, administered 2 to 6 months apart. You only need to get both doses once.

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Summary

It’s common to feel tired when you experience shingles because your immune system is working hard to fight the virus that’s causing it. If you experience pain, you might also find it difficult to sleep properly, leading you to feel more tired during your waking hours.

You might feel tired before you notice any other symptoms. The tiredness can also continue even after your other symptoms go away.

If you’ve received a diagnosis of shingles, make sure you get plenty of rest. You might also consider trying a combination of medical and lifestyle strategies to treat both shingles and your fatigue.

Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on many prescription medications. Plus, you can now get them delivered to your home in as little as 3 days. Search for your medication here.