Shingles and Older Adults

Shingles, aka Herpes Zoster, is NOT caused by nerves or nervousness! I am trying to put this myth to rest so please keep reading!

Shingles is a reaction of the latent chickenpox virus. It lives dormant in the nerve roots for YEARS and becomes active again later in life causing Shingles. Over 90% of adults have had chickenpox in their youth; now, there is a vaccine for it. Some contributing risk factors for Shingles are:

• immunosupression

• aging [immunity wanes as we age]

• risk increases as we age

• 50% of Shingles cases are age 60+

• 50% of persons age 85+ will acquire shingles

The first signs of Shingles is itching, tingling, and burning in one area of the body or head. Days later, little blisters appear. It is important to seek treatment immediately to prevent nerve damage, or Post Herpetic Neuralgia [PHN]. However, PHN results in long-term nerve pain that can last for years.

Often, if treatment with anti-viral drugs begins quickly, there are usually no complications. In addition to anti-viral drugs, physicians may also prescribe painkillers, steroids, and analgesics. Shingles is extremely painful, sometimes requiring hospitalization.

The good news...there is now a Shingles vaccine. The vaccine is a written prescription that is taken to a drug store. The cost of the vaccine is between $155-$200 BUT Medicare pays all but $6. For younger persons at risk, the cost of the vaccine is usually not a covered expense. However, in the long run it is less expensive than the cost and/or copays of the drugs and the pain and suffering imposed by having Shingles.

[The information on Shingles has been gleaned from three sources: American Pain Foundation; Mayo Clinic Journal; Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine.]