Understanding the Benefits of the Shingles Vaccination
Shingles is a skin rash caused by a virus called varicella-zoster. This virus is the same one that causes chickenpox. After having chickenpox, the virus stays in your body and can later reactivate as shingles. Shingles can cause a painful rash with blisters and is most common in older adults. The good news is that you can be vaccinated against the virus.
In this blog, we will take a closer look at the shingles vaccine, explain how it works, the benefits it offers, and who should consider getting vaccinated.
What is the Shingles Vaccine?
This vaccine is an effective way to protect yourself against shingles and its complications. It helps the body’s immune system fight the virus and reduces the risk of developing shingles, or, if you do, lowers the severity of the infection.
The vaccine contains a diluted form of the virus that won’t infect a healthy person but will encourage the body to produce antibodies. These antibodies will help your immune system recognize and fight the virus in the future.
The Benefits of Shingles Vaccination
- The prevention of shingles outbreaks: The vaccine helps prevent shingles. Even if you get shingles after vaccination, the illness is usually milder and shorter.
- Lowering the risk of complications: Shingles can lead to a long-term condition called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which causes ongoing pain. This happens when the shingles virus causes nerve damage, which can confuse the pain messages between the skin and the brain for months or even years after the shingles rash has healed. The vaccine lowers the risk of developing PHN.
- Less pain and discomfort: Shingles can be very painful and uncomfortable, lasting for weeks or months. The vaccine can lessen the severity of the illness, decrease the infection time, and reduce pain and discomfort.
Who Should Get a Shingles Vaccination?
In Canada, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends the shingles vaccine for adults 50 years of age and older. Even if you have had shingles before, the vaccine can still help prevent future infections.
In addition, individuals who are considered immunocompromised and, therefore, have an increased risk of developing shingles should receive this vaccination.
To learn more about the shingles vaccine, chat with our friendly clinic staff at Brintnell Pharmacy. They can help establish if this vaccine is right for you and tell you more about its benefits.
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