Mr Lionel Lee, a 60-year-old, initially thought he was having a heart attack when the pain spread from his back to his chest last year. It turned out to be shingles, a condition that had also affected both his parents.
“We always think that it will not happen to us, but unfortunately it did,” said Mr Lee. “It felt like a screw being turned into my bone. It was really painful. I’ve never felt anything like this before in my life.”
Raising Awareness About Shingles
Mr Lee shared his story at the launch of Shielding from Shingles, Singapore’s first ground-up awareness initiative for the disease. The event, held last Tuesday (Oct 28) at Far East Square, brought together seniors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to shed light on a condition that is often misunderstood and overlooked.
Shingles, or herpes zoster, affects about 30,000 people in Singapore every year. It’s caused by the same virus that triggers chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus, and it can reappear later in life when a person’s immunity drops.
More than 90% of adults aged 50 and above in Singapore carry the virus, which means almost everyone in that age group is at risk.
A survey by Ipsos for GSK revealed that two in three older adults underestimate their personal risk of getting shingles. Despite this, only one in four planned to talk to their doctor about prevention within the next three months.
Family physician Dr Kelvin Goh said many people still think shingles is a minor illness, but it can actually cause serious complications, including inflammation that may lead to heart attacks or strokes.
“People think that it’s an inconsequential, mild illness, but shingles does have significant complications,” Dr Goh explained. “Patients with chronic pain suffer for months and even years of persistent tingling, burning, or stabbing sensations in the affected area.”
The pain doesn’t just affect patients; caregivers suffer too.
Local actress Cynthia Koh recalled how tough it was when her mother had shingles more than a decade ago.
“It’s never a good feeling to watch your loved ones going through pain, and you feel helpless,” she said. “You would like to help her, but there’s no way you can.”
Prevention is Possible
Doctors and healthcare professionals at the event reminded the public that shingles is common but preventable.
“Up to 30 per cent of the population may develop shingles in their lifetime,” said Dr Goh. “There are many available treatment and prevention strategies.”
Vaccines to protect adults against shingles are already available in Singapore, with subsidies offered. From mid-next year, Singaporeans will also be able to use their MediSave to pay for the vaccine, a move that could help more seniors protect themselves from the painful condition.
