Why Everyone Over 60 Should Get the Shingles Vaccine

Your risk for developing shingles only increases as you age. In fact, studies show that 33% of people will get shingles at some point in their lives, usually after the age 50. Not only this, but half of people who live to be 85 have at least one episode of shingles. Your risk for complications from shingles rises significantly after you turn 65. 

Because your risk for shingles climbs with age, it’s important to stay on top of the shingles vaccine — especially after you reach the age of 60. At HealthStone Primary Care Partners located in Hollywood, Florida, our team offers the shingles vaccine for our patients so they can adequately fight against this disease. In this blog, we review more information about shingles and why it’s so important to receive this vaccine yourself. 

Understanding shingles

Shingles is an offshoot of chicken pox. If you had chickenpox as a child, the virus — called varicella zoster — moves into your nerve cells and then stays dormant in your body. It can resurface decades later as shingles. Shingles causes many of the same symptoms as chicken pox; however, it can be much more severe. 

Shingles is a very painful rash that can appear on just one side of your body. It often starts with a small cluster of bumps that turn into fluid-filled blisters. These blisters usually dry out within 10 days. About 10-18% of people experience a complication of shingles called postherpetic neuralgia, which can cause debilitating pain for months or even years after the rash goes away.

Risk factors for shingles include being over the age of 50, having an autoimmune disorder, and not getting the chickenpox vaccine as a child or the shingles vaccine as an adult. 

Staying up-to-date on your vaccines

Because your immune system starts to dwindle in strength as you get older, it becomes imperative to keep up with all of your vaccinations, including the one for shingles. Unfortunately, studies say that 67% of adults over the age of 60 aren’t up-to-date on their shingles vaccine. 

If you’re in the majority of those who haven’t recently received their shingles vaccine, your risk for developing shingles and complications from it is high. The cons of getting shingles far outweigh any negative side effects you may get from the vaccine — the latter being the reason why many people skip their vaccinations.

Next steps

If you’re ready to get your vaccinations updated, contact our team to get an appointment set up with us. You can do this by giving us a call at 954-466-0850 or by using our online booking tool today.