Prairie Doc Perspective Week of September 20th, 2026
By Dr. Kelly Evans Hullinger
Too many people know the pain of having shingles. Shingles, or Zoster, occurs when a Herpes virus, the same one which caused chicken pox in childhood, reemerges from dormancy in a spinal nerve. Symptoms include nerve pain and tingling followed by an eruption of a blistery red rash over the distribution following that nerve.
Typically the rash of shingles lasts up to a couple of weeks, but for some patients the associated nerve pain can continue and even be permanent, a condition known as post-herpetic neuralgia. A minority of patients are left with a chronic pain which can be very difficult to treat.
The duration of shingles, and the odds of developing post-herpetic neuralgia, can be reduced if an antiviral medication is started within the first 3 days of symptoms. But we have an even better option, a vaccine which reduces the risk of getting shingles at all.
The FDA approved vaccine for shingles is recommended for all adults age 50 and older and for younger adults who are immunocompromised. The vaccine is comprised of two doses, ideally given 2-6 months apart. Patients who receive both doses have over 90% reduced chance of getting shingles.
Already had shingles? You will still benefit from getting the vaccine series, as it will reduce your odds of a recurrence. Got the first shot but forgot to come back in 2-6 months? No big deal – just get the second dose now and you’ll be caught up.
Exciting recent research suggests the vaccine against shingles may be associated with lower risk of other diseases as we age, including dementia. Although we can’t yet be certain of a causative link, the numbers are promising enough that this may add another good reason to not miss out on an effective vaccine.
Decades from now, when the children who have benefitted from widespread vaccination against the chicken pox virus (VZV) reach their 50’s, recommendations for shingles vaccination may change. But for now, we adults who had chicken pox (and if you don’t recall having over chicken pox, you almost certainly still had the virus) clearly benefit from the shingles vaccine. I recommend it for all my eligible patients.
Dr. Kelly Evans Hullinger practices internal medicine at Avera Brookings. She serves as a volunteer host for the Prairie Doc® team, which is currently celebrating its 25th season of providing health education based on science and built on trust. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to stay connected. Our programming includes the medical Q&A show On Call with the Prairie Doc® (most Thursdays at 7pm on YouTube, and Facebook), along with two podcasts and a weekly radio program (Sundays at 6am and 1pm on SDPB).