NBA Star Tyrese Haliburton Has Shingles. What to Know About the Condition

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton has been diagnosed with shingles, his coach said Feb. 22. The 25-year-old star was already out for the season after tearing his Achilles tendon in June, but he was visible on the sidelines, enthusiastically cheering on his teammates. However, he is now being kept away from the team’s facilities for two to three weeks.

“It’s a very painful thing,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. “He will make a full recovery, but this happened in the last few days. He was meeting us in Washington and had some strange symptoms and he came back here. It’s a unique case and a unique situation, but I’ve talked to him several times and he’s always in good spirits, so he’ll get through it.”

Shingles is a common illness: About 1 million cases occur each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 1 in 3 people nationwide will suffer from it in their lifetime. It is also known as herpes zoster and refers to a painful skin rash caused by the reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox.

Yet many people do not associate this disease, which is more common in older populations, with healthy young people in their 20s, much less professional athletes. This perception does not take into account the behavior of the virus, experts say. Research has shown that the incidence of shingles has increased in all age groups over several decades, with some analyzes noting a continued increase among younger adults, although rates among older adults have stabilized.

Here’s what you need to know about shingles and why even young people in excellent physical health are not immune.

When dormant viruses wake up

Shingles is a direct consequence of a previous chickenpox infection. Although they are separate illnesses, both are caused by the varicella zoster virus. “We recover from chickenpox, but the virus stays in our body and 20, 30, 40 years later it can wake up and manifest as shingles,” says Dr. William Schaffner, professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “The virus is hibernating inside us.”

When the virus reactivates, people often report strange nerve pain (tingling, itching, or burning) for a few days, but have no idea of ​​the cause. “It feels like something is wrong,” Schaffner says. “Then the virus appears on the skin and causes chickenpox-like blisters on the affected body part.”

Learn more: 12 Weird Symptoms Dermatologists Say You Should Never Ignore

It’s impossible to pinpoint exactly why a person develops shingles, but researchers have identified a range of potential causes. Older age is the No. 1 risk factor: about half of shingles infections occur in people aged 60 or older. But reduced immunity also plays a role, says Jennifer Moffat, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. This includes people who are undergoing chemotherapy or taking medications like steroids that reduce immunity; people recovering from another infection, such as the flu or COVID-19; and those living with HIV or autoimmune diseases.

“Among young people, it’s more mysterious,” says Moffat. “It can be completely unexpected. Lack of sleep, stress, physical stress, having had the flu or COVID, having had a viral infection, these are all things that can cause a momentary gap, and that’s enough for the virus to say, ‘I’m going to take this chance to wake up now.'”

What does it feel like to have shingles?

Most of the time, fluid-filled blisters form on one side of a person’s body, following the path of a single nerve. They most commonly appear on the chest or abdomen, back, or along the waist, but can also appear on the face or around one eye. For a professional athlete whose job depends on peak physical condition, even a short bout can be disruptive.

“The pain is overwhelming,” Moffat says. “People describe it as one of the most painful things they have ever felt, because it comes from inside the nerve.” Some people find relief by wearing loose clothing until the blisters heal.

In addition to ongoing tingling, burning, and sensitivity, people tend to feel generally unwell. Shingles is often accompanied by virus-like symptoms such as fatigue, headaches and lack of appetite, says Moffat.

For some people, the pain caused by the virus persists. About 10% to 18% of people with shingles develop postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and the risk increases sharply with age. The condition refers to nerve pain that persists for 90 days or more after the rash disappears, leading to burning, stabbing, or stabbing pain in the nerves and skin. The pain associated with PHN can be so debilitating that some people stay indoors because too much movement, touching and light stimulation could trigger a flare-up, Schaffner says. Although it’s rare, it’s also possible to develop shingles more than once, he adds.

“Young people recover more fully from shingles than older people,” says Schaffner. “Generally speaking, they have less severe initial infections and are less likely to experience post-shingles pain.”

How shingles is treated

If you develop a rash and think you have shingles, it is important to see a doctor immediately. Antiviral treatments like valacyclovir are most effective when started within three days of the rash appearing. (Even if more time has passed, doctors may still consider treatment, especially if new blisters form.) These medications can “shorten the time it takes for healing and reduce the person’s pain,” says Moffat.

In some cases, especially if the rash affects the face or eyes, doctors may prescribe steroids to reduce swelling, says Moffat. Shingles affecting the eyes can threaten vision and requires urgent medical attention. For pain, options are limited. Some patients try medications, including gabapentin, but results vary. “There aren’t a lot of good treatments for pain,” she says.

Schaffner’s patients often wonder if shingles is contagious. You can’t “catch” shingles from someone else, he says, but the varicella-zoster virus in the blisters can be transmitted to people who have never had chickenpox or been vaccinated against the disease.

A very effective vaccine

Shingles prevention starts at a young age. All children are advised to receive two doses of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine: a first injection between 12 and 15 months of age and another between 4 and 6 years of age. Although the chickenpox vaccine does not eliminate the risk of developing shingles later in life because it uses a weakened version of the virus that can still lie dormant in nerve cells, research has shown that it reduces the risk by 70 to 80 percent compared to people who have had a natural chickenpox infection.

Meanwhile, the Shingrix vaccine, specially designed to prevent shingles in adults, is recommended for people aged 50 and over, as well as immunocompromised adults over 19 years old.

“Shingrix is ​​proving to be a miracle vaccine in that it’s extremely effective at preventing shingles, which is always a good thing, but it also protects your brain,” says Moffat. Observational studies have shown that people who receive Shingrix are about 20% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia in subsequent years, although the data shows an association and not proof of cause and effect.