What is herpes zoster (shingles) and how commonly does it occur?
Anyone who has had chicken pox is at risk for developing shingles. It is estimated that 1 million or more cases occur each year in the United States. Shingles can occur in people of all ages, but most commonly in those over 60 years of age, and this risk increases as people get older. When shingles develop, a rash or blisters appear on the skin, generally on one side of the body. This is a sign that the virus, that has been dormant in the nerve cells, has reactivated and traveled from the nerves and followed a path out to the skin. Because the nerves along the path become inflamed, shingles can also be painful. Pain that lasts for months after the rash has healed is called post herpetic neuralgia or PHN. For some people, this pain can be severe and chronic. Does Zostavax help with post herpetic neuralgia? In people who were 70 years of age and older, and still developed shingles, even though they had been vaccinated, Zostavax reduced the frequency of PHN, the pain associated with the i
