This fall I got a Shingles vaccination. As a 68 year-old, it was recommended by my primary care physician during my physical. However, she didn’t have to do much to convince me. My Mom had shingles at an advanced age, and it was AWFUL. The blistering rash went on for long weeks, and the after effects stayed with her until she died. It can be an insidious virus, much worse than chicken pox, which is what many think that it is.
Shingles is related to chicken pox, because it comes from the same viral strain–varicella-zoster virus (VZV). According to the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Health, while chicken pox generally occurs in children, once you get it, the virus never goes away. If you ever had chicken pox, you are at risk for getting shingles as an adult. Shingles to shingles is not contagious, but it can give the chicken pox virus to those who have never had it, so it’s important to be very careful if you contact the disease.
Shingles affects the nervous system, and causes itching, burning sensations, shooting pain and fluid filled blisters. Most adults carry VZV in their bodies, and don’t get shingles, but one in three adults do. And it is not pretty. As shown below, the rash usually comes up in blisters that eventually crust/scab over.
The rash itself can last 3-5 weeks and can be very uncomfortable. A fuller list of symptoms from NIH include:
- Burning, tingling, or numbness of the skin
- Feeling sick—chills, fever, upset stomach, or headache
- Fluid-filled blisters
- Skin that is sensitive to touch
- Mild itching to strong pain