Shingles is a viral infection that is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you’ve had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue and can reactivate as shingles years later. Shingles can occur anywhere on your body but it most often appears as a very painful, blistering rash along your torso. It’s estimated that nearly 1 in 3 people will experience shingles in their lifetime, with an increased risk if you’re over 50 years old.

The shingles vaccine, Zostavax II, is approved for adults age 50 or older and it’s recommended if you’re 60 or above, even if you’ve had shingles before. This is because shingles can occur more than once! The vaccine decreases the risk of shingles by about half. While it cannot completely prevent everyone that receives it from getting shingles, it can help reduce the intensity and duration of shingles related pain in these people.

Talk to your pharmacist or physician to see if the shingles vaccine is right for you!

Jasdeep Ruprai
www.youdrugmart.com