Shingles Vaccine

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am just starting to get over shingles. In the future am I more likely or less likely to contract them again? Is the vaccine a good idea or not?

Dear Bart:

I understand your concern about Shingles. As you may already know, shingles is produced due to Varicella Zoster virus, the same virus that caused chicken pox lies dormant in the nerves of your body near your brain and spinal cord and might reactivate as shingles causing pain and rash.

Certainly the shingles might or might not recur after some time, the shingles vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get shingles, but this vaccine will likely reduce the course and severity of the disease and reduce your risk of postherpetic neuralgia.

The shingles vaccine is recommended for all adults age 60 and older, whether or not they have had shingles previously. The shingles vaccine is used only as a prevention strategy, however. It's not intended to treat people who currently have the disease. I would suggest you to discuss the use of the vaccine with more detail with your health care provider, surely is an option for you.