Shingles Vaccination

Shingles, an illness that is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, causes a very painful rash on the trunk of the body or the face. This happens when the varicella virus that has been lying dormant in the body reactivates itself in a person with a compromised immune system or in the elderly. It can also occur in the child or teen, but rarely does.

This virus can only happen in a person who has already been exposed to the varicella virus that causes chicken pox. The blister rash usually lasts 2 to 4 weeks, but the neuropathic pain can last months to years afterwards.

The FDA approved the first shingles vaccine for adults in the year 2006. This vaccination is known as Zostavax and can be given to people 60 years and older.

This shingles vaccination offers a small dose of an attenuated virus which helps the body to build immunity against the disease. The vaccine, Zostavax, will not help extinguish the virus if it has already developed but will, instead, prevent it from occurring.

In a person who is 60 years and older the Zostavax shingles vaccination will help to prevent shingles also known as herpes zoster virus. Some theorized that because it would help prevent the disease it may help to ease the symptoms of post-herpetic neuralgia common after shingles but this proved to be false.

Research using this shingles vaccination has shown that although there are side effects, as with any medication or drug, but the chances of any type of serious side effect is low. Some of the minor side effects such as headache, diarrhea, and minor rash, or swelling, redness or pain/bruising at the site of the injection.