Shingles

Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful, blistering rash.

Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox.

After having chickenpox, the virus stays in the nerve cells of your body but is not active. Shingles occurs when the virus becomes active again usually many years later.

Although shingles often occurs for no known reason, the virus may be reactivated by:

• stress
• illness
• a weakened immune system (immunosuppression)
• older age
• trauma
• radiotherapy

Who can get shingles?

You can only get shingles if you have had chickenpox. Some people get chickenpox with only mild symptoms.

Shingles can happen at any age. The risk of shingles is higher in people:

• aged over 50 years
• with a weakened immune system
• who had chickenpox in their first year of life

About 1 in 3 people will develop shingles at some point in their life. Most people get shingles only once. But sometimes, especially if you have a weakened immune system, you might get repeat infections.

See your doctor if you have any symptoms of shingles.

Be sure to see your doctor as soon as possible if you have symptoms of shingles and:

• are pregnant
• have a weakened immune system

To diagnose shingles, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and examine your rash. They may test fluid from your blisters and refer you for a blood test. This can confirm if your rash is caused by shingles.

There is no cure for shingles but, starting antiviral medicines within 3 days of the rash appearing can reduce the severity of your symptoms and your risk of complications.

Your doctor can prescribe antiviral medicine if you need it. If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about whether antivirals are right for you.

Over-the-counter medicines can be used for pain relief, such as:

• paracetamol
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen

If over-the-counter medicines are not enough to manage your pain, your doctor may prescribe other medicines.

Managing shingles rash

There are several things you can do to help manage the condition.

Be sure to keep your rash dry and clean. After a bath or shower, dry your rash gently. Try not to scratch your rash, as this can cause an infection or scarring.

You can reduce the discomfort from your rash by:

• wearing loose fitting clothes
• using a cooled towel on the affected area

If possible, cover your rash, to avoid spreading the virus to other people. Use a non-stick dressing if the area isn't covered by light clothing.

Avoid antibiotic creams, gels, and adhesive (sticking) plasters or bandages on the blisters. These may slow down the healing process.

Shingles usually gets better without long-term problems but some people may develop complications.

If you have shingles rash and it becomes infected, you may need to take antibiotics. A rare complication may include scarring from bacterial infection, and post inflammatory hypopigmentation — a loss of skin colour.

Shingles occurring in the eye area could result in temporary or permanent vision loss. If you do have shingles in your eye, your doctor may refer you to an ophthalmologist (eye specialist) for treatment.

Shingles can also cause facial drooping and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. Visit your doctor if you have symptoms of Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which include:

• rash around the ear
• earache
• hearing loss
• dizziness
• difficulty moving your face muscles

Post-herpetic neuralgia

For around 1 in 10 people, the pain and tingling of shingles can last for months or even years. This is called post-herpetic neuralgia, and is more common in people over 50 years of age.

Getting vaccinated against shingles reduces your chance of developing the condition. The shingles vaccine is recommended for:

• everyone aged 50 years and over
• people aged 18 years or older with a weak immune system
• people over 50 years who have contact with someone who has a weak immune system

People who have a weakened immune system includes people who:

• have HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) or AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)
• are having cancer treatment
• have had an organ transplant or bone marrow transplant
• are receiving other medical treatment that affects their immune system

Vaccination does not guarantee that you won't get shingles, but it will reduce your chance of developing the condition.

The vaccine used to protect you against shingles is not the same as the vaccine used to protect against chickenpox. Read more about the chickenpox vaccine.

What are the recommendations for the shingles vaccine?

Vaccination is your best protection against shingles.

For more information on immunisation in Australia, you can check:

• the National Immunisation Program Schedule (Opens in new tab)
• the Australian Immunisation Handbook (Opens in new tab)

If you want to know more about shingles you can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 to speak with a registered nurse, 24 hours, 7 days a week (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria).

Languages other than English

The National Immunisation Program has an adult vaccinations consumer fact sheet (Opens in new tab) available in many community languages.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

For more information about immunisation for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people (Opens in new tab), visit the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.