What is Shingles?

Shingles is a viral disease and starts with abnormal skin sensations as well as headache, photophobia, malaise and fever, persisting for 1 to 5 days.This can be followed by a vesicular rash, characteristically on one side of the body (usually the trunk) and appears in a dermatomal distribution which continues to form for 3 to 5 days. Often patients present with crops of fluid filled blisters which contain the live virus. It is accompanied by acute pain, common descriptors of which include; itching, tingling, shooting, aching, burning and throbbing.

Ophthalmic shingles can occur in 10–20% of patients and is caused by VZV reactivation in the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. The virus can damage the eye and surrounding tissue by the inflammation of sensory nerves.There are many potential complications here (optic nerve, retina, etc).

What Causes Shingles?

Shingles is caused by a herpes virus called Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV). VZV is one virus that causes two diseases, chickenpox and shingles. Primary VZV infection results in chickenpox (varicella) usually affecting children and young adults. Once the clinical symptoms of varicella have resolved, the virus remains dormant in the nervous system of the infected person. In some individuals, the VZV reactivates in later life, resulting in the clinical manifestation of shingles (herpes zoster). Therefore, a susceptible individual ('chickenpox naive') can be infected with varicella (and then develop chickenpox) as it is the primary virus, but they cannot be infected with herpes zoster (shingles) . The shingles condition only occurs when the VZV is reactivated in the body. However, susceptible individuals (chickenpox naive) may also be infected and develop chickenpox by coming into contact with an individual with shingles, as the fluid filled vesicles associated with shingles contain VZV.

What is the Incidence of Shingles?

It is believed that 1 in 4 people develop shingles in their lifetime and that the incidence increases markedly with age up to 84 years. In England and Wales about 50,000 patients over the age of 70 will develop shingles and of those, about 1,400 will be admitted to hospital. Around 1 in 1,000 will die but 14,000 will develop the complication known as Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN). This means the pain will continue for more than 90 days, or sometimes for 6 - 12 months longer, or even longer for an unfortunate few.

Why would I need a vaccine?

A simple vaccination can prevent future risk of developing the very painful and debilitating sysmptoms of shingles, as well as prevent Zoster related post herpetic neuralgia pain. 

Can anyone have the Shingles Vaccine?

You can only have the vaccine if you aged over 50 years old. For your safety we will halp you fill out a confidential medical questionnaire before we start.

It is a live vaccine and therefore cannot be given to inviduals who:

• have a history of hypersensitivity to the active substance, to any of the excipients or trace residuals (e.g. neomycin).
• Primary and acquired immunodeficiency states due to conditions such as: acute and chronic leukaemias; lymphoma; other conditions affecting the bone marrow or lymphatic system; immunosuppression due to HIV/AIDS; cellular immune deficiencies.
• Immunosuppressive therapy (including high-dose corticosteroids); however, ZOSTAVAX is not contraindicated for use in individuals who are receiving topical/inhaled corticosteroids or low-dose systemic corticosteroids or in patients who are receiving corticosteroids as replacement therapy.
• Active untreated tuberculosis.
• Pregnancy. Furthermore, pregnancy should be avoided for 1 month following vaccination.

How Do I Get the Vaccine and How Much Is It?

All you need to do is contact us to make an appointment at your convenience. For your safety, after you have received the vaccination we will ask you to remain behind for observation for fifteen minutes. The cost of vaccination is £170.00.