Aging is a beautiful thing, but it also comes with some uncomfortable truths about the way in which we must care for our bodies to thrive. Viola Davis is revealing her experience with a painful health condition, opening up for the first time publicly about her bout with shingles, and hoping to share her “testimony” to spread awareness after dealing with the “highly unusual” circumstance of getting it more than once.
After developing a blistering rash “that started on my stomach and wrapped around my back, went away, and then came back on my upper back,” the EGOT winner saw a doctor and was officially diagnosed. “I had no idea what shingles was—none, whatsoever,” she admitted in an exclusive interview with Parade on Thursday, Oct. 8.
The lack of awareness regarding the condition is part of what drew the actress to partner with GSK’s Shingles, actually campaign. At the time, experiencing her body’s physical reaction was jarring. “It terrified me,” Davis noted, adding, “It was hard to dress myself; it was hard to get out of bed. I was completely exhausted.”
At 61 years old, the Fences star spoke about her immune system not being the same as it was in years prior, pointing out that “it naturally decreases with age,” making people over age 50 more susceptible and at increased risk of the condition. “The thing with shingles is, it’s extremely painful, like, nine out of ten pain. It’s hard to focus on anything else; it’s nerve pain,” she shared.
According to the Mayo Clinic, shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash that can show up anywhere on the body and last for weeks. It’s brought about by the same virus that triggers chickenpox. In fact, if you’ve ever had the common childhood illness, it never leaves your body after you recover. Instead, it lies dormant and may reactivate at some point as shingles. Other symptoms can also include fatigue, headache, fever, and chills.
View this post on InstagramReflecting on her hectic scheduling amid battling the torturous condition, The Help star says she was “running on fumes at that time; living on stress.” Between a busy acting career and motherhood, she says, “I was absolutely run down.”
As a result of that time period, now, she’s more “radical” about her self-care. “I have everything at my house,” Davis shared of implementing wellness practices to manage her health. “I have my cell mat, I have my vagus nerve stimulator, I have my heated eye mask at night, I have my Epsom salt bath bomb baths. Every single night, I take a bath with my husband; we soak. That’s our gift to ourselves. I have an infrared sauna; I have a jacuzzi. I do it all. I spray my pillow with lavender.”
Ultimately, the HTGAWM actress wants to encourage people to intentionally set aside time for themselves, telling women, specifically, “It’s your warrior fuel to care for your body.” Coming out on the other side of the situation, she made one lesson she personally learned in the midst crystal clear: “It woke me up to the fact that I didn’t have to operate on fumes to be considered strong”—and she’s aiming to spread the message that neither do you. Ask for help when you need it, and don’t hesitate to visit your doctor, question things, and seek answers.
And in any scenario that you’re not receiving what you need, push harder. “You can demand that your doctor give you answers,” she urged. “We are worth it.”
Related: Quote of the Day: Viola Davis’ Powerful Advice for Anyone Going Through a Hard Time
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