Shingles Vaccination

Protect yourself from Shingles. Visit Anderson Diagnostics and get your Shingles vaccine today.

What is Shingles?

Shingles or Herpes Zoster is a painful skin rash caused by the Varicella Zoster Virus- the same virus responsible for chickenpox. Shingles is quite common in at least one out of three people.

Once you have had a bout of chickenpox, the virus remains dormant for many years. As you get older, your weakened immune system increases the risk of Shingles by reactivating the dormant virus. Shingles can appear on your face, torso, eyes, ears, thighs, and even your head. The rash manifests acute pain, which is almost like a burning sensation. For Shingles treatment, antiviral medications are commonly prescribed to reduce the severity and duration of the rash.

For Shingles treatment, antiviral medications are commonly prescribed to reduce the severity and duration of the rash.

Symptoms of Shingles

Shingles is characterised by

Painful blistering rash in a stripe-like formation wrapping around your torso from the left or right side. This formation is because the virus follows a nerve path.

Tingling, itching, or numbness in the affected areas for two or three days prior to the appearance of the rash.

Fever accompanied by chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, indigestion, muscle weakness and fatigue.

Shingles is a debilitating skin condition that can impact even the simplest daily activities like walking, sleeping, or getting dressed. However, fret not. You can be vaccinated against this disease and PHN, or post-herpetic neuralgia, a complication that arises after the blisters have cleared.

Complication of Herpes Zoster or Shingles

Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus is when shingles develop around or near the eye. This condition may lead to loss of vision.

Intense scratching of the blisters can cause mild to severe bacterial infections.

Herpes Zoster Oticus is a condition where shingles can develop in the ear, causing intense ear pain.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome manifests as one-sided weakness of the face and blisters in the ear canal or mouth.

In sporadic cases, Shingles can cause Encephalitis, leading to swelling of the brain.

Shingles Immunisation:
How it Protects You

If you are fifty or above, it is best to get vaccinated against Herpes Zoster and, in the process, protect yourself from PHN. Shingles vaccine comes in two doses, each administered within a time gap of two months.

At Anderson Diagnostics & Laboratories, renowned as the best scan centre in Chennai, we administer the non-live recombinant subunit Shingles vaccine, which is safe for those with weak immune systems.

The immunization has undergone several successful trials indicating 90% efficacy in preventing reactivation of the virus in adults over fifty years of age.

The best thing about opting for the Shingles vaccine from Anderson is that you can get vaccinated from the comfort of your home.

Get Your Shingles Vaccination in 4 Simple Steps

Anderson Diagnostics offers you a simple, uncomplicated way to avail of your Shingles vaccination.
All it takes is 4 steps

Step 1

Secure a doctor's prescription for the Shingles vaccine.

Step 2

Schedule an appointment with Anderson Diagnostics.

Step 3

Receive your vaccination at our clinic.

Step 4

Obtain your Shingles vaccination certificate.

Want Details About Your Shingles Shot?

Connect with us to know the age limit for shingles vaccination and other details. Prevent Shingles! Protect your health!

Shingles: Your Queries Answered

1. What are the risk factors for Shingles?

Chickenpox is one of the major risk factors for Shingles. Other risk factors include:

Age- It is more common for people above 50.
Weak immune system, which increases the risk of HIV/AIDS or cancer.
Radiation or chemotherapy for cancer can compromise your resistance to diseases and make you more prone to Shingles.
Taking certain medications, such as steroids or immunosuppressants used to prevent organ rejection after a transplant, can increase your risk of infection.

2. Is the Shingles vaccine advisable for those who have already had it?

Of course. You can take the Shingles vaccine even though you have already had a bout of the disease. A dose of the vaccine mitigates the risk of Shingles recurring because even if you have had Shingles once, it does not provide lifelong immunity. It is possible to get shingles more than once in your lifetime. If you have recently recovered from shingles with the help of prompt Shingles treatment, we advise waiting until your rash and other symptoms have completely subsided before receiving the vaccine.

3. Is Shingles a contagious disease?

The disease is transmissible if you come into direct contact with the fluid oozing from the blisters before the wound crusts over. However, when the blisters crust over, the risk of transmission is significantly reduced.

4. Does Shingles cause hair loss?

Yes. The hair loss occurs due to two reasons:

Intense scratching or combing after a Shingles outbreak.
Destruction of cells that stimulate hair growth in the hair follicles.

Shingles can also result in Cicatricial Alopecia or Scarring Alopecia.

Schedule Your Second Dose Today!

Is it time for your second shingles vaccination? Sign up for voice, text, or email alerts to stay on schedule.