The actress and content creator Valentina Godfrid explained on social media that she and her wife, Sofía Elliot, have been away from social networks in recent days and opened up to her followers about the difficult health moment she is experiencing. In a video, she said she was diagnosed with herpes zoster, also known as shingles, a condition that causes her very intense pain.
“Hello, friends. I need to chat with you a little. Today is day 7 of my shingles, or herpes zoster, commonly called shingles,” she began.
She then described how these days have been and assured that the illness forced her to slow down completely. “I never thought I would feel pain like this. I’m basically doing what I can with my life. Most of the day I couldn’t even get out of bed,” she said.
The actress also explained that the skin lesions have already begun to improve thanks to the antiviral treatment she is undergoing. “The lesions are already healing. I’m still taking my antiviral. Today is day 7,” she said.
Trying to explain what happened, she added that shingles is the result of the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus.
“It’s basically the varicella virus, which I had when I was little, reactivated in the body. It settled along the spine, so to speak. Please excuse my poor medical wording, but it spread along the intercostal nerves. I feel a pain I never thought I would feel,” she recalled.
Her followers quickly sent messages of support and wished her a speedy recovery.
What is shingles?
The herpes zoster, popularly known as shingles, is an infection caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same one that causes chickenpox during childhood.
After overcoming that illness, the virus remains “dormant” in the body’s nerves and, years later, can reactivate, especially in situations of stress, lowered defenses, or with the passage of time.
Among its most common symptoms are:
- Severe pain, burning, or tingling in a localized area of the body.
- A blistering rash that tends to affect one side of the torso or face.
- Touch sensitivity.
- In some cases, fever, headache, or fatigue.
The treatment usually includes antiviral medications, which are most effective when started within the first days of the illness, in addition to analgesics to relieve the pain.
Although most people recover completely, some may continue to experience pain in the affected area for weeks or even months, a complication known as postherpetic neuralgia. Therefore, at the onset of the first symptoms, it is important to consult a doctor promptly.
