Shingles cases on the rise in younger patients
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Shingles are becoming an issue for people younger and younger.
Long considered a problem for people over 50, more and more doctors are seeing it in younger patients. Consider it the childhood illness that keeps on giving.
"It is the reactivation of chickenpox," said Dr. Brian Lamb of Allegheny Health Network.
Chickenpox 2.0.
"Even if you haven't had chickenpox as a child if you were born in America before the middle of the 1980s, you were exposed to chickenpox."
Dr. Lamb said the virus lays dormant in your body for years.
"[It] likes to live in our spinal cord as we get older, [and] sometimes it comes back out," Dr. Lamb said.
What are the tell-tale signs of the virus?
"A painful, blistery rash that follows those nerves coming out of your back."
It will wrap around from your back to the center of your chest; the initial rash can last several weeks, and the resulting pain can last for months.
"We always think of over age 50 however, we do see young people that get it, so it's not unusual to see a young person have shingles," Lamb added.
Dr. Lamb said one of the things that can fire up pox is stress.
"We do see it in young people because people are getting stressed."
A younger person can ask their doctor for the vaccine, but there is a catch.
"However, insurance companies won't cover it. Unfortunately, right now, the guidelines say starting at age 50."
If you are younger than 50 and concerned because you have a high-stress job, talk to your doctor.
But if you've already had shingles, does that give you immunity? Not necessarily.
Dr. Lamb said to get the vaccine, which is two shots separated by three months because a prior bout does not keep you from getting it again.