What causes shingles in 30 year olds?
The reason shingles occur is not entirely clear, but in the majority of cases it’s the result of a weakened immune system from conditions such as chronic disease, cancer, HIV or overwhelming stress. Some medications can suppress the immune system and thus be a contributing factor to contracting shingles.
What does shingles look like on a young person?
Shingles appears as a rash of small red lumps, which then form fluid-filled blisters. The blisters cluster together on a single patch of skin. New lumps form over the first few days, then the blisters crust over. The rash occurs on the upper body more often than on the face, legs or arms.
Why do you suddenly get shingles?
The primary risk factor associated with getting shingles is a weakened immune system. When your immune system isn’t functioning properly, VZV can reactivate. As you age, your immune system doesn’t fight off invaders as well.
Is shingles contagious to young adults?
Shingles is not contagious. But if someone comes into contact with the rash at a certain stage, they may contract the varicella-zoster virus and develop chickenpox. If they have chickenpox, shingles can develop later in life.
Who is the youngest person to have shingles?
“The youngest patient I’ve had with shingles was 8 years old, and I think stress played a role,” says Dr. Erica Swegler, a family doctor in Austin, Texas. The boy was feeling the pressure of looming standardized testing at school. “He was so worried about the tests,” she says, “that he broke out in shingles.”
How do you catch shingles?
The blisters that develop as a result of shingles contain virus particles. If you have not had chickenpox before, you can catch it from direct contact with the fluid from the blisters of someone who has shingles, or from something that has the fluid on it, such as bed sheets or a towel.
Can I catch shingles from my husband?
People get shingles when the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, reactivates in their bodies after they have already had chickenpox. You cannot get shingles from someone who has shingles.
Why did I get shingles in my 20s?
A weakened immune system can occur due to age. But in younger adults, the immune system can be compromised by acute or chronic illness or extreme stress. People who are immunocompromised have a higher risk of developing shingles regardless of age.
How common is it to get shingles in your 20s?
Although more than two-thirds of people who contract shingles are older than 50 years, young people can contract this uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating disease as well. In fact, according to Medscape, approximately 10% of shingles patients are younger than 20 years.