If you’ve had chicken pox as a child, that same virus can lie dormant in your system and then re-appear later in life in the form of shingles. This is a very painful condition that appears as a rash all over the body, causing severe nerve pain.
Since the rash can cause debilitating pain, it’s important to know how to protect yourself and prevent shingles. Luckily, the shingles vaccination is nearly 97% effective at preventing shingles and is highly recommended by doctors for people over the age of 50.
In this article, you’ll learn who needs the shingles vaccine, and why.
What Is Shingles?
The varicella-zoster virus is the culprit that causes both chicken pox and shingles. However, an individual can only get shingles if they’ve had chicken pox and it normally occurs in people of the age of 50. Once the virus is in your system it lies dormant in your body, and it can become active again at any time in the form of shingles. Unfortunately, doctors don’t know why this happens.
Like chickenpox, shingles is contagious and is very easy to transmit to others when you have direct contact.
The blisters and shingles rash that occur when you have shingles can be extremely painful and cause severe nerve pain too. The most effective way to avoid getting shingles is by getting the shingles vaccination (which is considered more than 90% effective) once you turn 50.
Shingles Symptoms
When the virus resurfaces, it usually causes tingling and itching in your skin that may last around 5 days before the shingles rash and blisters appear on your face and body, often in a strip on one side of your body.
Other symptoms include:
- Fever
- Upset stomach
- Headaches
- Chills
How Long Does Shingles Last?
The symptoms of shingles usually go away within a month, but shingles can lead to a condition called postherpetic neuralgia which causes long-term nerve damage and pain which can last months and even years.
Who Should Get The Shingles Vaccination?
Nearly 1 in 3 people over the age of 50 in the UK will get shingles, that’s why doctors recommend getting the shingles vaccination.
If your healthcare provider has recommended that you get the shingles vaccination, head to your local Intrigue Health travel clinic to get the shingles vaccine. Since we offer private shingles vaccine services, it is fast and convenient to get the shingles vaccine. To make an appointment or to check the shingles vaccine cost on our website, click here.
