Shingles Vaccine Now Available

Remember having chicken pox when you were a kid? As miserable as it was to be covered with itchy red bumps, when the last scab healed you thought you were "cured" forever. Never again would you have to deal with the itching and scratching and misery of chicken pox. Well, think again. If you're over 60, the chicken pox virus (varicella virus) which has lain dormant, hiding in the nerves of your spinal chord all these decades, can become active again, triggering a painful case of shingles. One in five Americans over the age of 60 contracts shingles every year. While researchers don't know what triggers the virus, the normal weakening of the immune system that accompanies aging is a significant factor.

Shingles makes the chicken pox seem like a walk in the park. As the virus travels to the body's surface, it causes numbness, tingling, itching and severe pain. A very painful, blistering rash occurs along nerve paths, often on one side of the body. For some people the pain is so excruciating that even the light pressure of loose clothing is unbearable. While drugs are available to treat the symptoms and shorten the course of the disease, some sufferers experience debilitating, chronic pain for the rest of their lives.

A new drug offers hope for many at risk seniors. Zostavax produced by Merck & Co., Inc. was recently approved by the FDA as a vaccination against shingles. Given as a single shot in the arm, Zostavax provides protection for up to four years and is reserved for seniors age 60 and up. While expensive, the $150 shot is covered under Medicare Part D. Pricing and coverage may vary; check with your health care provider or insurance carrier. If you have a weakened immune system, you may not qualify to receive the new vaccine. Check with your doctor first, particularly if you have had cancer, an organ transplant, or HIV/AIDS.

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AM Warner Insurance offers long-term care insurance, medicare supplements and life insurance to clients in the greater Louisville and surrounding Kentucky area and in Southern Indiana. Visit our website for helpful information and details about the products we offer. Contact Allison if you have any questions or would like to discuss your personal insurance needs. At AM Warner Insurance we insure your independence.