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Health Conditions
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Shingles
What are the risk factors?
A person must have had a bout of chickenpox to develop shingles. Any person who has had chickenpox is therefore at risk for developing shingles.
Risk of developing shingles increases with age. The risk of adults over the age of 60 is 10 times as great as that of children under the age of 10. Shingles are more common in individuals with a weakened immune system. The following factors can weaken an individual's immune system:
- Common cold or flu
- Sunburn
- Cancer
- HIV/AIDS
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Use of steroids for a prolonged period of time
- Stress or anxiety
- Excessive use of alcohol
Shingles is not contagious - that is, it cannot be passed from one person to another. However, individuals who have never had chickenpox or who have not received the chickenpox vaccine could get chickenpox - not shingles - if exposed to someone with an active shingles rash.
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Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.
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What are the risk factors?
