The most common symptoms of shingles are-
- Painful area of skin that turns into a rash
- Patches of red and painful blisters
- Rash usually occurs only on one side of the body
- Fluid filled blisters which break open then scab over
- Fever, headache and chills
Shingles and the symptoms usually get better over time. Antibiotics may be administered to help the symptoms resolved quickly.
Singles cannot be contracted from someone who already has the virus. However a person who has never been infected with chickenpox or received the chickenpox vaccine could contract chickenpox from someone with shingles.
A vaccine against shingles was licensed in 2006. In undertaking clinical trials, the vaccine decreased the risk of shingles by 50%. It can also help reduce the pain caused by shingles after being vaccinated.
A single dose of shingles vaccine is suggested for adult 60 years of age and older. However some people cannot have the vaccine as they may have life-threatening allergies to the antibiotic, gelatine, neomycin, or any other ingredients in the vaccine.
