To good health’ is often a toast at a celebratory occasion. At Mother’s Day celebrations this year in Hume and Whittlesea and across the country, shingles campaign ambassador Dr Jana Pittman is encouraging people take the toast literally and start a conversation with their loved ones about age-related health conditions, including shingles.
It’s an issue close to Dr Pittman’s heart after seeing how badly her mum suffered with the condition last year. While the symptoms of shingles can vary for each individual, for her mother, the pain was so intense she thought she was having a heart attack. But after describing a sore, red blistered rash, Jana knew shingles was the most likely culprit.
What surprised Jana was how little her mum knew about shingles.
“Mum’s initial fear was that she was contagious as I was heavily pregnant at the time of her diagnosis. I explained that shingles is only contagious to someone who hasn’t had chickenpox. I had chickenpox as a child, so I was able to support her,” she said.
“It was mum’s lack of knowledge about the condition that really inspired me to start having conversations about shingles, and to try and help people understand the signs, symptoms and risk factors.”
Dr Pittman explained to her mum that shingles is triggered by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, usually during adulthood. About one in three people will develop shingles in their lifetime as those who have had chickenpox already carry the virus that causes the condition.
“We know that shingles is linked with a drop or decline in immunity, which is why those most at risk are 50 years of age and over, as well as people who are immunocompromised,” she said.
Dr Pittman wants to correct the natural tendency for people to think ‘it won’t happen to me’ and encourages family members to have a conversation about age-related health conditions with anyone in their family 50 years of age and over.
“Occasions such as Mother’s Day, where family and friends are often gathered, can be an opportunity to start a conversation about health. Raising awareness about a painful and potentially debilitating condition like shingles, could be the best gift your loved one receives if it prompts them to speak to their doctor about shingles and prevention options,” comments Jana.
From a recent survey commissioned by GSK Australia, which includes a sample group of 300 Australians aged 50-79, 73 per cent of participants perceived the impact of shingles as ‘very serious’, but only 11 per cent regarded themselves as being personally at risk of shingles in the next year.
Dr Pittman urges Australians to add questions about shingles to their health check list once they hit 50 and start conversations with their healthcare professional about their risk of developing shingles.
For more information about shingles, speak to your healthcare professional and visit knowshingles.com.au.
