Former Mediacorp actor Nick Shen recently took to Instagram to detail a three-month battle with shingles.
Source: @nickshenweijun on Instagram
Calling it “agonising” and with pain “beyond description”, he warned others not to underestimate the disease.
Shen also had to be hospitalised when half his face became paralysed.
The actor has since sought help from over 10 doctors practising both Western and traditional Chinese medicine.
Shen was a popular actor during his Mediacorp stint from 1999 to 2012. Since leaving the company, he has transitioned to Chinese opera instead.
He did not expect, however, to be afflicted with shingles earlier this year.
According to HealthHub, shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful rash caused by the inactive virus that inflicts chickenpox.
Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of shingles.
In his Instagram post, Shen described his ongoing recovery. He deemed the pain “beyond description” and “agonising”, with “excruciating blisters”.
Lianhe Zaobao reported that doctors provided antiviral medications to Shen but told him to be mentally prepared for a long recovery.
The shingles spread from his neck to his face and then up to his scalp, the pain like hot fire.
Source: @nickshenweijun on Instagram
Things went from bad to worse over a month into the affliction when Shen found half his face paralysed. He faced great trouble just drinking water and could not smile.
Shen was hospitalised and doctors diagnosed that the shingles had affected his facial nerves. They told him that recovery could take up to three months on average, even up to half a year.
This left Shen feeling depressed as the shingles continued to spread and put every moment of his life in excruciating agony.
Even after being discharged, he still suffers from partial paralysis.
Shen told Lianhe Zaobao that he has to tape his right eye shut at night to prevent it from opening during his sleep.
Source: Lianhe Zaobao on Facebook
Yet ultimately, Shen maintains a strong attitude to push through the pain.
He has even continued with his opera work, though he had to consult a dermatologist due to some makeup having effects on sensitive skin.
Still on the road to recovery, Shen said on Instagram that he consulted over 10 Western and traditional Chinese ‘specialists’.
He cited raising awareness about shingles as the reason for making the post as he saw many underestimating the disease.
Source: @nickshenweijun on Instagram
Shen expressed astonishment that none of his loved ones ever emphasised how serious the disease was.
Even his father, who suffered from the ailment himself, did not mention the shingles vaccine.
“If only I had been aware of the vaccine earlier,” he remarked. “It could have spared me this agonizing pain and scarring!”
He also raised an anecdotal case of someone he knew who got shingles at just 19 years old.
As such, he recommended the public to consider the vaccine to reduce the risk of undergoing the same suffering he did.
Also read: Ex-Mediacorp Actor Jerry Yeo Is Now A Scoot Pilot, It’s His Dream Job Since Childhood
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Featured image adapted from nickshenweijun on Instagram and Instagram.
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