In the initial stages of shingles, there may not be a rash but there can be pain, numbness or tingling in the affected area. Often when the rash isn't present, shingles can be mistaken for other conditions such as muscle strain or a kidney or lung infection.
Even if it's not there at first, a red blistering rash can develop after the onset of pain and be accompanied by fever, chills, general aches and fatigue. A person with shingles is contagious and can pass the virus on to anyone who is not immune to chicken pox i.
While shingles isn't life-threatening in healthy individuals, it can be very painful and lead to long-term symptoms such as chronic pain and vision problems if the outbreak is near the eyes. Early detection and quick treatment can minimize the chances of long-term effects. The reason shingles occur is not entirely clear, but in the majority of cases it's the result of a weakened immune system from conditions such as chronic disease, cancer, HIV or overwhelming stress.
Some medications can suppress the immune system and thus be a contributing factor to contracting shingles. Theoretically, two doses for children rather than the currently recommended single dose would provide even better protection against the virus.
Health Why are ever-younger adults contracting shingles? No longer just a disease of the elderly? Joseph Communications uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Learn more or change your cookie preferences. By continuing to use our service, you agree to our use of cookies.
We use cookies why? You can change cookie preferences. In fact, one study showed that the rate of shingles has been going up in all age groups. Keep reading to learn why young adults develop shingles, symptoms to look for, and how to prevent against it.
After you recover from chickenpox, VZV remains dormant inactive within nerve cells in your body. In some cases, VZV is triggered to reactivate. When this happens, the virus begins to replicate multiply again and move along the affected nerves. When it reaches your skin, the characteristic shingles rash develops.
What causes VZV to reactivate is unknown. However, reactivation is associated with a weakened immune system. A weakened immune system can occur due to age. But in younger adults, the immune system can be compromised by acute or chronic illness or extreme stress. People who are immunocompromised have a higher risk of developing shingles regardless of age. Many young adults have had the vaccine for VZV , the virus that causes chickenpox.
Overall, younger people who get shingles typically have a milder illness. This means that the rash and associated pain may not be as severe as it would be in an older adult. This is because taking antiviral medications shortly after your symptoms start can help to reduce symptoms and shorten their duration.
The shingles vaccine , called Shingrix, consists of 2 doses spaced out between 2 to 6 months. The catch? Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open.
We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Join the conversation Create account. Already have an account? Too young for shingles? Nova Scotia Too young for shingles? Think again While shingles typically affects people ages 50 and older, it can happen in younger adults — but because those numbers aren't tracked in Nova Scotia, it's hard to know exactly how many under 50 are affected.
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