Shingles is a painful condition, and a Shingles outbreak can occur to you at any time, if you've had chickenpox in the past. Learn more about this debilitating illness, what you can do to prevent a Shingles outbreak and treatments for easing the pain and discomfort of a Shingles outbreak.

Who Should Get a Shingles Shot?

Choosing whether or not to get vaccinated for Shingles, is a decision you need to make with your medical practitioner. Generally, anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for having a Shingles outbreak, so generally anyone who has had chickenpox will benefit from getting the Shingles shot. If you've had chickenpox, your odds of having a Shingles outbreak increase significantly when you reach the age of 50, so receiving the Shingles vaccine prior to this age is probably over protective. Most medical professionals recommend that patients who have had chickenpox get vaccinated against Shingles when they become 60 years old. But, your medical practitioner will probably recommended that you not get vaccinated for Shingles if you have one or more of the following conditions:

• You are a woman of child-bearing age
• You have a diminished iummune system (e.g., from AIDS, lymphoma, etc.)
• You have received a blood transfusion or an injection of a blood product (e.g., immune globulins) during the last several months
• You are currently inflicted with a serious infectious illness (e.g., tuberculosis)
• You are currently taking an anti-viral medication to treat a herpesvirus condition (e.g., herpes simplex 1 or 2)
• You are allergic to one of the ingredients in the Shingles vaccine (check with your medical practitioner)

More Shingles Topics and Information: Does The Shingles Vaccine Work? How to Prevent Shingles How Do You Catch Shingles? How Did I Get Shingles? I Think I Have Shingles What Are The Shingles Symptoms?