Shingles Virus: Who’s at Risk and How to Prevent It

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

By: Martha Michael

When you think of chickenpox, you probably picture a tiny kiddo covered in itchy spots and blisters. For a long time, this common disease was practically a childhood rite of passage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prior to the varicella vaccine—also known as the chickenpox vaccine—chickenpox affected a staggering four million people annually in the U.S. Since launching a vaccination program in the U.S., the CDC reports a staggering 97 percent reduction in chickenpox cases.

But what happens when this sneaky virus resurfaces later in life? That's where shingles come in—a painful condition affecting about a million people in the United States each year. If shingles do make an unwelcome appearance, don't worry; effective treatments are available to help alleviate symptoms and speed up recovery.

What are shingles and what causes them?

Whether it’s in childhood or adulthood, the first time you’re infected by the varicella-zoster virus, or VZV, it’s called chickenpox, according to an article by VerryWell Health.com After it remains dormant in your nerve tissues and reactivates, it’s known as shingles, or herpes zoster.

Little is known about why the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivates to cause an outbreak of shingles. VZV is part of the herpesvirus family, known for causing herpes infections. However, unlike herpes infections, which can recur, people typically only experience shingles once.

Patients with shingles report high levels of pain in the areas where the rash appears. It often affects one side of the body because the virus transmits signals to nerves in a particular area.

In addition to the shingles rash, initial symptoms of shingles may also include:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Chills
• Sensitivity to light
• Headache
• Stomachache

A few days after a shingles outbreak, a patient may experience:

• Skin redness
• Burning, tingling, or itching
• A raised rash
• Fluid-filled blisters
• Scabs
• Mild to severe pain

It’s possible to have shingles and never see a rash. If you have other symptoms, contact your doctor to rule out shingles and get early intervention to minimize symptoms.

What are the risk factors for developing shingles?

Anyone who has had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine is at risk for shingles, says an article by Health.com. The varicella-zoster virus can infect a person in any demographic, but certain co-occurring factors make you more likely to contract shingles.

Weakened immune system

People living with a condition that suppresses their immune system have a greater risk of getting shingles. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you are 1.6 times more likely to get shingles. Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, and forms of cancer such as leukemia and lymphoma lower your ability to fight the zoster virus. Chemotherapy, a common treatment for cancer, suppresses your immune system, increasing the threat of shingles, but you have the greatest chance of getting the virus in the first year following the diagnosis.

Physical trauma

Cases of shingles have been linked to physical injury, particularly head trauma in seniors. There is little research about the reason trauma reactivates the varicella-zoster virus but it may be a catalyst.

Hormonal Changes

Women are more likely than men to develop shingles, and people age 50 and older are most susceptible, according to the Detroit Medical Center. Perimenopausal women have an amplified risk of developing shingles because of the hormonal changes occurring in the early stages of the menopause transition.

Medications

Certain drugs weaken your immune system and put your health at risk. Steroids and medications prescribed for organ transplant patients are examples of drug treatments that decrease your ability to fight off the virus.

What treatment options are available for shingles?

If you already have symptoms, early intervention is important. If left untreated, you could experience more serious impairment, such as vision loss or neurological problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.

There’s no cure for shingles, but there are effective treatments to manage symptoms. For ailments impacting the skin there may be topical creams or oral medications reducing pain and lowering fever. There are prescription ointments and medications used by shingles patients to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms.

Antiviral medications prescribed for patients with shingles include:

• Acyclovir
• Famciclovir
• Valacyclovir

Medications prescribed for painful symptoms include:

• Capsaicin topical patch
• Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin
• Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline
• Lidocaine or other numbing agent in a cream, gel, spray, or skin patch
• Injection of corticosteroids and local anesthetics

Like the virus that causes chickenpox, shingles is highly contagious, particularly when the rash blisters. It’s important to keep it covered with gauze or another soft material so you don’t spread the virus to anyone else. An article by Medical News Today has suggestions for treating symptoms of shingles to make yourself more comfortable while you recover.

• Moisturize the rash after blisters are crusted over
• Avoid scratching
• Use cool or warm compresses
• Avoid tight-fitting clothes
• When wetness occurs, pat the rash to keep it dry

You can survive shingles with attention to symptoms and a little patience, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle places you in the best position to handle its challenges.

How do lifestyle factors impact the risk of developing shingles?

Your overall health plays a part in how your body fends off bacterial and viral infections, and your lifestyle choices can impact whether or not you develop shingles. According to an article in the American Journal of Epidemiology, there’s a connection between shingles and immunosuppressive activitie.

• Stress level - Managing chronic pain and learning to live with an illness are stressors that make it hard to retain the strength to fight symptoms.
• Dietary considerations - Healthy nutrition is always a good idea because consuming processed foods and being overweight compromise your ability to fight disease.
• Exercise - Staying active as you age builds strength and maximizes your immune system, and helps to prevent shingles.

The pain management provided by regular chiropractic care enables you to address pain as it develops and minimize the impact of health challenges. It’s not a cure for shingles, but helping maintain your best health provides an additional layer of comfort and support while combating it.

Whether or not you had chickenpox as a child, shingles may be a threat to lifelong health and wellness. It can be painful and debilitating, but you can take steps to reduce the chance you get it through preventative lifestyle choices.

If you’re already suffering from shingles, reach out to a doctor to discuss your options. Also, consider how chiropractic care can help provide additional comfort; life has enough challenges without having to deal with shingles while you’re less than 100 percent.

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