DWTS’ Rylee Arnold Opens Up About Life-Changing Medical Diagnosis at 20: “It Turned My World Upside Down”

"Dancing With the Stars” pro Rylee Arnold gave fans a surprising health update. At age 20, she has been diagnosed with a medical condition that’s more likely in older people.

Rylee Arnold Shares Surprising Diagnosis for Her Age

On June 25, Arnold took to TikTok to let her fans know about her unexpected diagnosis. In the video, she dances in her car, but the caption reveals what she’s going through.

“So turns out you can get shingles as a 20 year old 😭 any tips or recommendations are heavily needed right now 🥰,” she shared.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, “shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash.” It’s caused by “the same virus that causes chickenpox.”

The site notes that “the risk of developing shingles increases with age” and the infection “typically occurs in people older than 50.”

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A post shared by Rylee Arnold (@ryleearnold1)

Arnold’s fans flooded the comments with some suggestions for managing shingles, based on their experiences.

“I’m sure stress can play a factor but it’s also just rotten luck,” one fan shared. “If you had chickenpox in the past you can get it any time 😔.”

Another fan shared, “I had it at 19 and stress is without a doubt a huge factor. Not everyone who had chickenpox will have shingles, stress weakens your immune system and gives the dormant virus the perfect opportunity to break through.”

“Make sure you take the medication the doctor prescribes. It can be very painful. Do not scratch it because it can leave scars,” one person advised. “Hope you feel better.”

Others offered up ideas for getting through it, including “Stay hydrated, rest up, and try to keep your stress levels low. Hope you feel better soon!”

One person shared, “I got shingles at 20 too:( the pain is like no other … this is gonna sound weird but oatmeal baths and there is a shingles medicine called terrasil that helped me!”

Some of her fans shared that they had the infection even younger. “I got shingles at SIXTEEN! It’s a sign of stress and exhaustion! PLEASE take care of yourself, have ice packs on a rotation but DEFINITELY have them ready at night … the itching will be the worst when you are trying to sleep,” they explained.

Another fan said they had shingles at 19, advising, “Do not scratch them, stay hydrated, and take the medication … took two weeks to feel half decent.”