Why did I get shingles in my 20s?

Why did I get shingles in my 20s?

A weakened immune system can occur due to age. But in younger adults, the immune system can be compromised by acute or chronic illness or extreme stress. People who are immunocompromised have a higher risk of developing shingles regardless of age.

How common is it to get shingles in your 20s?

Although more than two-thirds of people who contract shingles are older than 50 years, young people can contract this uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating disease as well. In fact, according to Medscape, approximately 10\% of shingles patients are younger than 20 years.

Can someone who never had chickenpox get shingles?

Chickenpox and shingles are caused by the same virus. If you’ve never had chickenpox, you won’t get shingles from someone who has it —, but you could get chickenpox.

Can stress trigger shingles?

Emotional stress is considered a trigger for shingles because it has been shown to weaken the body’s immune system. This can happen in those who have undergone a sudden shock, such as the death of a loved one, or people who face chronic work or life stress.

Can stress cause shingles?

Can you be immune to chickenpox if you haven t had it?

Family members who have never had chickenpox have a high chance of becoming infected when another family member in the house is infected. The illness is often more severe in adults compared to children. Most people who have had chickenpox will be immune to the disease for the rest of their lives.

What if I never had chickenpox?

Adults who never had chickenpox can easily catch it from an infected child’s sneezes or coughs. Airborne droplets can spread the chickenpox virus, known as a varicella-zoster virus (a member of the herpes family). The vaccine may help, though, Brodhead said.

Why do shingles appear?

Shingles is caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in their body. The virus can reactivate later, causing shingles. Most people who develop shingles have only one episode during their lifetime.

How do I catch shingles?

The blisters that develop as a result of shingles contain virus particles. If you have not had chickenpox before, you can catch it from direct contact with the fluid from the blisters of someone who has shingles, or from something that has the fluid on it, such as bed sheets or a towel.

Who is likely to get shingles?

Shingles is most common in people older than 50. The risk increases with age. Having certain diseases. Diseases that weaken your immune system, such as HIV/AIDS and cancer, can increase your risk of shingles.

Can you get shingles if you’ve never had chickenpox but had the vaccine?

If you’ve never had chickenpox and are vaccinated against the disease, you can’t get shingles. Even so, it’s believed that most people over 50 years old within the United States are vulnerable to developing shingles.