If you had the chicken pox as a child, the virus may yet come back to haunt you. When it does, instead of being called chicken pox, it will be called shingles. Shingles can manifest as a rash limited to one side of the body and be accompanied by pain that is sometimes long-lasting and severe. In this post to HealthConnection.TV, the U.T. Health Science Center’s Dr. Wyn Andrews discusses diagnosing, treating and preventing shingles.

What is shingles? (first question)

Why do some people who have had chicken pox develop shingles and others don’t? (skip to 0:51)

Are some people at greater risk for developing shingles? (skip to 1:26)

Is shingles contagious? (skip to 2:09)

What are the symptoms of shingles? (skip to 4:05)

How is shingles diagnosed? (skip to 3:25)

What is the treatment for shingles? (skip to 4:05)

How long does a case of shingles last? (skip to 4:35)

Why do some people experience such intense pain when they have shingles? (skip to 5:02)

Are there any comfort measures that can be taken at home for shingles? (skip to 5:39)

Does shingles have any long-term complications? (skip to 6:07)

Is there any way to prevent getting shingles? (skip to 6:59)

While we associate immunizations with childhood, the fact is that adults also need to receive vaccines against serious and potentially debilitating diseases. University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler family medicine specialist Dr. Michelle Bosworth discusses adult immunization in this Health Connection post.

Other than an annual flu shot, what immunizations should an adult have? (first question)

What factors are considered in determining what immunizations an adult needs? (skip to 1:00)

Which vaccines are the most important for an adult to have? (skip to 1:44)

How concerned should we be about potential side effects from vaccines? (skip to 2:35)

If you’ve ever had chicken pox, are you at risk for getting shingles? Is there a vaccine? (skip to 3:35)

People will argue that the diseases for which we receive vaccines are now under control. Why do we need to be vaccinated? (skip to 4:40)

Which is more effective in delivering an immunization, an injection or the nasal mist? (skip to 5:21)