Many pharmacies are now heavily
advertising vaccines against shingles and pneumonia. But does everyone
need them? And how do you know if you should be vaccinated? Dr. Erika
Schwartz, a nationally known patient advocate and best-selling author,
sorts through the information on the three common vaccines, including
the flu vaccine, and gives Newsmax Health straight answers.
People who have had shingles say it
is one of the most painful things they have ever endured, and shingles
vaccines are highly touted. Dr. Schwartz agrees that the condition is
painful — and common. "Shingles, unfortunately, is a very common
disease," she says. "It's a disease where inflammation runs along a
nerve distribution and usually it's a skin nerve, so it's really
painful.
"It lasts two or three weeks, but we have
medications that stop it dead in its tracks if it's quickly diagnosed.
The problem is that sometimes it leaves behind a syndrome called
postherpetic neuralgia which is pain that stays at the site of where the
shingles occurred."
Only 10 to 20 percent of people who get shingles will develop postherpetic neuralgia, says Schwartz.
"Shingles is very common in people who have
immune diseases and weaker immune systems," she says. "So, if you're
older and have a disease like cancer or heart disease, you may benefit
from the vaccine.
"But the shingles vaccine is only effective
in 50 percent of people, which means that about 50 percent of the people
don't get the results they need," she says. "It's about a 50/50
chance."
On the other hand, Schwartz sees little
danger in getting the vaccine. "There is little or no downside to
getting the vaccine," she says. "You're better off improving — anyway
you can — your immune system's ability to fight infection."
While shingles is seldom fatal, pneumonia is
a very serious condition that can be fatal. "There are two vaccines for
pneumonia, but only one is significantly effective," says Dr. Schwartz.
"The people who should take it are those who are in danger of getting
the flu — the old, the very sick, and those whose immune systems are
compromised.
"The problem is that people who die from
pneumonia are usually people who are immune-compromised," she says.
"They get the flu and then get a post-flu pneumonia that kills them.
"It's best to protect yourself by washing
your hands, eating well, getting enough rest, exercising — putting
together a lifestyle with the concept of taking a vaccine if you need
to. Don't fall prey to marketing which sometimes doesn't give you a
balanced view of the true information."
Flu season is coming. Should we be
vaccinated? "I'm not a big fan of the flu vaccine," she says. Although
about 20,000 to 30,000 people die from flu every year, they are usually
people who were already sick and had compromised immune systems.
"Millions of people get the flu who will
beat the flu, while the flu vaccine has been associated with many
problems," Dr. Schwartz says. "One is Alzheimer's which has been
associated with people who take the flu vaccine for five years in a row
or more."
So, should you take the vaccine? "As you get
older and you're more susceptible to immune compromise and the diseases
of aging, you're going to need the flu vaccine more," she says.
"I tell people to take a good look at their
lifestyle — diet, exercise and immune status," she says. "If you don't
come down with a lot of diseases, don't necessarily think you need the
flu vaccine."
© 2012 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
