Shingles Vaccine: The Side Effects

Shingles is a type of rash caused by varicella zoster, the virus that is also responsible for causing chickenpox. It is one of the vaccines recommended for people over the ages of 60 years old, and especially if they had chickenpox during their childhood. The virus never goes away completely, and can stay dormant for years, only to reemerge later on in life.

Some of the common side effects of the shingles vaccine include:

The mild side effects

The shingles vaccine has undergone a lot of laboratory testing for safety and efficacy and for most applications, there will be no side effects felt after the administration. If there are any side effects, then they will be mild and will last for just a few hours or a day or two after the administration.

Some of the mild side effects of the vaccine include soreness, swelling, itching, or redness at the site of the injection. Some people may also complain of mild headaches which disappear after a short while after the injection.

Serious side effects of the shingles vaccine

In very rare occasions, some people may experience certain severe side effects following the administration of the shingles vaccine. It normally follows the patterns similar to those of severe allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis and may sometimes include redness of the skin, dizziness, swelling of the mouth, eyes and face, slow pulse, irregular heartbeat, or trouble breathing.

If you see any of these symptom following the administration of the shingles vaccine, then you should seek medical attention as soon as possible as anaphylaxis is a life threatening condition.

After getting the vaccine

After getting the vaccination, you should be relatively safe from the shingles virus. The vaccine is nothing but a weakened version of the virus which will provoke the body’s immune system to produce the corresponding antibodies to guard the body in the event of an actual attack.