Are These 4 Myths Putting You at Risk of Shingles?

It’s no surprise that shingles is commonly associated with chicken pox. After all, they’re both caused by the same virus and present a similar rash.

But confusion about who can get shingles — and how — has left many adults at risk of contracting this painful and potentially harmful disease.

Christelle Nimba, APRN, at Hartford HealthCare Medical Group in Trumbull, dispels four common myths about shingles.

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Myth #1: I can only get shingles if I’ve previously had chicken pox.

Shingles is a contagious virus and anyone can contract it, regardless of their chicken pox history.
“Even if you’ve never had chicken pox, it’s a virus that can catch you,” says Nimba. “If you’re next to someone who has shingles with open vesicles, it increases your likelihood of getting it, especially through direct contact with the vesicles.”

Shingles will present as a rash or small bumps, usually in one specific area on the body. Within a few days, those bumps will turn into fluid-filled blisters or sacs. And when they pop open, they’re the most contagious.

> Read more at Hartford HealthCare's Health News Hub