How You Can Prevent Shingles
Article by Mike Johns
Before a person can answer the above question, he or she must know the meaning of the word prevent. Simple yet comprehensive, it means to avoid. In relation to this, prevention normally consists of ways or activities which seek to lessen or deter certain or expected problems, save from harm the current state of well-being, or elevate desired outcomes or behaviors. In the health care field, disease prevention is a big concern among health care providers.
Prevention is one of four areas in the health care delivery system (promotion, prevention, restoration, and care of the dying). Moreover, there are three levels of prevention which are the primary, secondary, and tertiary level of prevention. Primary prevention is also termed as health promotion or health protection; it is preventing and/or delaying the actual occurrence of a certain disease which includes health education and vaccination.
Secondary prevention is also termed as early detection or prompt diagnosis; it is associated with early detection and treatment of a certain disease and includes consulting a concerned health care provider, physical examination, and/or annual checkup. Tertiary level of prevention is also termed as restoration and rehabilitation; it is the prevention of further complications of a detected problem, which includes rehabilitation, referral, and therapy.
Let us take shingles as an example of a specific disease. A person must avoid the etiologic agent of shingles, which is Varicella-zoster virus, as much as possible. But, it is a very small infectious agent that has the capacity to replicate inside the cell, which means that is too small to be seen by the naked eye. Moreover, it is also throughout out ecosystem. In other words, it is quite rare to thoroughly prevent it.
Second, shingles would not exist if the person has not experienced chickenpox previously, which means they must avoid getting infected by chickenpox. They can do so easily by means of avoiding or keeping distance from an infected person or by being vaccinated by a chickenpox vaccine, because without the occurrence of chickenpox there can be no existence of shingles.
Third is the shingles vaccine. There is a certain vaccine for shingles. Zostavax is the most commonly used vaccine for shingles. It is used for preventing the reactivation of the Varicella-zoster for those who had previous history of chickenpox.
The truth of the matter is, a person could not get shingles if he or she has no inactivated Varicella-zoster virus present in his or her body. Shingles vaccine is administered via a subcutaneous injection, usually in the upper arm, with only a single dose. This one-time dose could provide four years of immunity with the Varicella-zoster or herpes zoster virus.
The vaccine is commonly and usually recommended for those people who are 60 years of age or above but any age could actually avail of it. However, the vaccine is contraindicated to people with weak immune systems and pregnant women or women trying to conceive. The fourth method of protection is boosting the immune system. The immune system is the one responsible for protecting a person’s body from any form of microorganism that could harm and jeopardize one’s body.
As a matter of fact, a person who has a strong immune system does not get easily sick or ill. But, on the other hand, a person who has a weak immune system is expected to easily get sick, ill, and/or infected by any sort of pathogens.
Stress and unhealthy habits could contribute a lot to the immune system’s getting weak, which, in turn, leads to the possibility of triggering a shingles outbreak. Staying healthy can be achieved by having a regular exercise routine, eating healthy and nutritious foods, practicing a healthy lifestyle, and taking vitamins & minerals. Doing so can help the individual in boosting his or her immune system and keeping it strong at the same time.
A cure is good. Prevention is better. So how can a person prevent the occurrence of a problem or a disease? Know the methods or strategies to prevent such a disease or problem. In connection with this topic, if a person prevents the factors that can lead to him or her having shingles, all the better. This way, the risk of acquiring shingles is much lower. In summary, to prevent is to protect and the prevention of shingles can be initiated by having the vaccine and a strong immune system.
About the Author
Mike has been writing articles for nearly 4 years. He also writes about diet & nutrition. Come visit his latest website on calendula cream which gives people information on the calendula cream
