Q: My uncle has shingles and he says it is quite painful. What is it? Can it be prevented?
A: Shingles is a painful skin rash, often with blisters. It is also called Herpes Zoster, or just Zoster. A shingles rash usually appears on one side of the face or body and lasts from two to four weeks. Its main symptom is pain, which can be quite severe. Other symptoms of shingles can include fever, headache, chills and upset stomach. Very rarely, a shingles infection can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitits) or death. For about one person in five, severe pain can continue even long after the rash clears up.
Shingles is caused by the Varicella Zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Only someone who has had chickenpox – or, rarely, who has had the chickenpox vaccine – can get shingles. The virus stays in your body, and can cause shingles many years later.
You can’t catch shingles from another person with shingles. However, a person who has never had chickenpox (or the chickenpox vaccine) could get chickenpox from someone with shingles. This is not very common.
Shingles is far more common in people 50 years of age and older than in younger people. It is also more common in people whose immune systems are weakened.
A single dose of shingles vaccine is recommended for adults 60 years of age and older. There are some people who should not receive the shingles vaccine. Check with your doctor to see if it is recommended for you.
—Source: The Painful and Serious Disease Called Shingles
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection, May 2014
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