Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
Key points about Shingles
- About 1 in every 3 people in the United States will have shingles (or herpes zoster) in their lifetime.
- Shingles can sometimes lead to serious complications like long-term nerve pain and vision loss.
- The best way to protect yourself from shingles is vaccination.
What is Shingles?
Shingles is a painful rash illness. People get shingles when the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox, reactivates in their bodies after they have already had chickenpox.
An estimated 1 million people get shingles each year in this country. Most people who develop shingles only have it one time during their life. However, you can have shingles more than once.
Signs and symptoms
People with shingles most commonly have a rash around the left or right side of the body. The rash is usually painful, itchy, or tingly.
Shingles can lead to serious complications. The most common shingles complication is long-term nerve pain called postherpetic neuralgia, or PHN.
Who is at risk for Shingles?
You are at risk for shingles if:
More than 99% of Americans born before 1980 had chickenpox, even if they don’t remember it. Children can have shingles, but it is not common.
Your risk of shingles and serious complications increases:
- As you get older.
- If you have medical conditions that keep your immune systems from working properly such as certain cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, and HIV infection.
- If you take drugs that keep your immune system from working properly, like steroids and drugs given after an organ transplant.
Causes and spread
If you are near someone with shingles:
You cannot get shingles from someone who has shingles.
You can get chickenpox from someone who has shingles if you never had chickenpox or never got chickenpox vaccine. You could then develop shingles later in life.
Shingles is caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. Once a person has chickenpox, the virus stays in their body. The virus can reactivate later in life and cause shingles.
People who never had chickenpox or didn’t get chickenpox vaccine can get infected with VZV from someone who has shingles. These people can get the virus through:
- Direct contact with the fluid from shingles rash blisters.
- Breathing in virus particles that come from the blisters.
People with chickenpox are more likely to spread VZV than people with shingles.
Prevention
Protect yourself with the vaccine. CDC recommends 2 doses of recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, Shingrix) to prevent shingles and related complications in adults 50 years and older. Shingrix is also recommended for adults 19 years and older who have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy.
Contact Classen Urgent Care or Classen Family Medicine for more information on the shingles vaccine.
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At our Classen Urgent Care Clinics in Norman and Moore, we know sometimes feeling great can’t wait. That’s why we provide a wide-range of minor emergency and general medical services to get you feeling better sooner!
If you believe your condition does not need any labs or x-rays, then an e-Visit may help you. If your provider decides that your condition requires you to be physically examined, then you may be asked to come in to be seen.
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The flu season is upon us, and the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get a flu shot. Flu shots are safe and effective, and they can help prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and even death.