I had two things planned for my 50th birthday. Both involved needles. First up, a nose piercing. Second, the shingles vaccine.
You could say both were selfish choices. The first was me copying older women I know who’ve bucked stereotypes, refusing to wither into boring old age. The second was about avoiding pain. I’d heard stories about how bad shingles hurts, and honestly, I’m a wimp when it comes to pain. So I didn’t wait. I rolled up my sleeve.
Hit Your 50s Healthy
You can make this decade your best.
In order to get the shingles vaccine, you need to be 50 years old and have had chickenpox. I checked both boxes. (I had chickenpox when I was 7, and it was miserable.) Maybe you’re thinking about skipping it. Maybe you hate needles, or you’re worried about side effects, or you figure shingles isn’t that serious. But here’s the thing: Shingles hurts, and it hurts BAD.
The pain is called ‘postherpetic neuralgia.’ “It can linger for weeks or even years,” says Laurie Archbald-Pannone, MD. “I’ve had patients who have been debilitated by this pain.”
Where Does Shingles Come From?
Shingles comes from the same virus that causes chickenpox. It “hides out in our bodies after we recovered from chicken pox, for years, in the nerves by our spine.”
Years later, it “wakes up or reactivates,” Archbald-Pannone says. “The virus comes out along a nerve. This is why the rash or pain with shingles is typically only on one side of the body.”
Why does the virus wake up? As we age, our immune systems weaken. This gives the virus a chance to thrive. That’s why people over 50 are most at risk.
What Does Having Shingles Feel Like?
And when it hits? Shingles can be extremely painful. We’re talking burning, stabbing, nerve pain that can last weeks or even months. Some people also get a rash that blisters, usually on one side of the body or face. In bad cases, it can mess with your vision or cause lasting nerve damage.
The good news? Archbald-Pannone notes that the vaccine “works really well at preventing the pain of shingles that can last months or even longer.”
The vaccine is effective at lowering your risk of:
- Getting shingles
- Having painful symptoms
- Long-term complications
Your arm might be sore for a day or two after the shot, but that’s nothing compared to the agony of shingles. One of our writer's dad had a shingles scar and terrible pain that wouldn't stop.
How to Get the Shingles Vaccine
Getting the shingles vaccine is easy, quick, and cheap. You can get it without an appointment at most major pharmacies. And it’s covered by most insurance plans.
Next time you go grocery shopping, take a few minutes and get the shot. That’s all you have to do.
It’s a Two-Part Vaccine
Before you go, you should note that the vaccine has 2 parts. After the first dose, you’ll need to go back for a second one, about 3 months later.
I’ve got it on my calendar to get my second dose. I don’t want to forget. If you miss the second dose, the vaccine doesn’t work as well.
To Vax or Not to Vax
Do you have questions?
The Second Dose Hurts Some People More
The pharmacist who gave me my first shingles vaccination shot warned me. He said that a lot of people do feel a bit sick and weak after the second dose. He advised me to plan for the shot before a weekend when I can relax.
Reactions from the vaccine are not signs that the vaccine is dangerous. Like with anything you put in your body, whether it’s a drug, supplement, medicine, or food, even a positive impact can have side effects.
If you’re worried about the shot, talk to your pharmacist about taking ibuprofen or Tylenol to help lessen any pain or other symptoms. You can also check out our shingles FAQs.
Go Get It!
The bottom line is, no matter how much a couple shots can hurt or if they make you achy, none of those effects come close to matching the pain and harm of getting shingles.
So if you’re over 50 and had chickenpox as a kid, do yourself a favor: Get the shingles vaccine. It’s a gift to your future self — one that hurts a whole lot less than the alternative.
The nose piercing is, of course, totally optional.
