Tag Archives: shingles

The Bad News about the Shingles Vaccine

I know I am getting old now because I am starting to worry about shingles, the painful rash and blister disease that is a reactivation of chickenpox. If you never get chickenpox, you will never have shingles, but I did and now I am concerned. Years ago, I thought shingles was something old people got. But, now that I am narrowing in on 50, it seems all too real a possibility. I was glad to hear there is a vaccine now to help prevent you from getting shingles. But, there is bad news too. While the vaccine Zostavax has reduced … Continue reading →

Roofing Materials: Choosing Shingles

If you’re building a home or planning on replacing your existing roof, you’ll soon be choosing shingles. While many people don’t give it a lot of thought if simply having a roof repaired, there are some issues that are definitely worth considering. Did you know that dark shingles, especially black, are less energy efficient and also need to be replaced more frequently? While many newer homes have lighter roofs, it has to do with more than the color scheme. Dark shingles absorb more heat, while lighter colors reflect sunlight. The extra heat absorbed by dark shingles frequently means more air … Continue reading →

Chickenpox Vaccine

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Raise your hand if you’ve had chickenpox. I sort of had it twice — my father had it when I was a baby, and my parents tell me I had the rash on my rump. I had it again a few years later, and suffered through the itching by getting painted with calamine lotion. Chickenpox (varicella) is a very common childhood disease; it seems to get harder to deal with as the patient gets older. The disease is most dangerous to infants and adults — as many as 100 people die because of chickenpox here in the U.S. Around twelve … Continue reading →

All About Chicken Pox

Just about everybody gets chicken pox as a child. The disease is usually mild and runs its course quickly. However, it can be dangerous to infants and adults. The chicken pox virus — also known as varicella — can spread through the air or by contact with the fluid from chicken pox blisters. The virus causes a red, extremely itchy rash plus a fever and fatigue. Too much scratching of the rash can lead to permanent scarring. Scratching with dirty hands (or dirty objects) can lead to severe skin infection. Other complications include pneumonia, brain damage, and in rare cases, … Continue reading →