Have you heard about shingles?

If you’ve had chickenpox, you’re at risk for shingles, a painful, blistering rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. It can lead to serious complications like long-term nerve pain, scarring, skin infections, muscle weakness, and even loss of vision or hearing.

After you’ve had chickenpox, the virus stays in your body, living in the base of nerves. Most people will never experience any symptoms. But for about 20% of people who have had chickenpox, the virus will become active again and cause shingles.

You can’t catch shingles from someone. But if you have never had chickenpox and you come in close contact with the blisters of someone who has shingles, you may contract chickenpox.

We don’t know exactly what causes shingles, but it might be related to stress, a weakened immune system, cancer or cancer treatments, or even simple fatigue. At this time there is no reliable way to predict who will get shingles.

Protect Yourself

However, a new vaccine can prevent shingles. The vaccine (called Zostavax) is recommended for men and women age sixty or over who have had chicken pox. In clinical trials, the vaccination prevented shingles in about half of the study participants, and it greatly reduced the chance of post-herpetic neuralgia (pain that continues after the infection has subsided) among the people who did develop shingles.

The vaccine is not appropriate for everyone, so talk to your doctor about whether you would be a good candidate.

If you decide to get the shingles vaccine, you’ll need a prescription from your primary care physician. Through a special program, you can receive the vaccination by appointment at the Home Care Pharmacy­–Fennel location. Just call the pharmacy at (301) 766-4167 to make your appointment. You will need to provide the following:

• a prescription from your primary care physician for the vaccine
• your insurance information

Home Care Pharmacy will bill Medicare Part D and participating third-party insurers for the vaccine in advance of your appointment.

Home Care Pharmacy
E.J. Fennel Building
324 E. Antietam Street, Suite 202
Hagerstown, Maryland
Phone: (301) 766-4167

For more information about Shingles, listen to the November 27th episode of Health Matters, with guest Allen Ditto, MD, by clicking on one of the following buttons.

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