Treatment for shingles should begin as soon as possible.

“Most of us had chickenpox as children, and that virus remains in our bodies and can come back as shingles when our immune system weakens,” Stack says. The likelihood of this happening increases with age.

“Shingles is most common in people over the age of 50,” Stack says, “It's caused by a weakened immune system as we age. Anyone who has a weakened immune system or whose immune system is weakened for any reason is also at higher risk of developing shingles.”

The first sign of shingles is usually itching.

“The itch originates along a single nerve,” says Stack. “It can occur along any nerve in the body, but the most common is the nerve that runs down the lower abdomen from the spine to the belly button. The second most common is just under the breasts, and the third most common is from the top of the skull to the eyes. Wherever it is, the nerve gets irritated and manifests as an itching, tingling, or pain. And it's always on one side of the body.”

The itching is usually followed by a rash of spots that turn into fluid-filled blisters.

“These can be very painful,” Stack says.

The speed of recovery depends on the patient recognizing the warning signs and seeking early medical intervention.

GSK, the biopharmaceutical company that makes the shingles vaccine, is conducting an annual survey to gauge how much the Irish public knows about the disease.

“We found that public awareness is good,” says Even Daly, national medical director at GSK, “Around three-quarters of people have heard of shingles and know it can be a serious illness, but when it comes to the details they're less sure – they don't know what shingles is or what they can do to manage or prevent it.”

Olive Creevey, 68, from Raheny, Dublin, knows shingles well, having had it twice: “The first time I got it I was in my 30s and remember itching on my lower abdomen. My mother had quite a bad case of shingles so when I recognised the symptoms I went to the doctor. Within a few weeks I was feeling better with no lasting effects.”

Six years ago, Creevy got shingles again: “This time it was on my upper stomach, I quickly realised what was going on and rushed to the doctor. The rash and blisters were painful, but again the pain subsided within a few weeks.”

Creevey knows not everyone is equally lucky: “I've heard it's important to get treatment straight away. If you leave it, you're asking for trouble.”

Stack asserts: “Shingles can be serious in some circumstances, which is why treatment should begin as soon as possible. For example, if shingles develops on the nerve that supplies the eye, it can lead to vision loss or blindness in that eye.”

He outlines other complications, including blister infections, skin scarring and two rare forms of shingles that can cause pneumonia and encephalitis.

Post-herpetic neuralgia may also develop.

“It's a type of nerve pain that continues after the rash has healed,” Stack says, “and can last for weeks, months, or even years, and it occurs in about 10 percent of cases.”

Early treatment reduces the risk of developing long-term complications.

“There are oral antiviral medications that can reduce the severity and duration of symptoms,” Stack says. “The earlier treatment, the better. Pain can also be treated with paracetamol, anti-inflammatories, codeine and morphine if needed.”

Stack is eager to assure people that most cases resolve quickly with minimal intervention, with the majority recovering within three to four weeks.

He also wants to dispel any uncertainty about whether shingles is contagious: “It is contagious and it's not contagious. Someone who has shingles can't pass it on to other people. But they can pass on chickenpox if they haven't had it yet. So people who have shingles need to be careful around children.”

There has been talk of adding chickenpox vaccine to childhood immunisation programmes, but Stack believes chickenpox and shingles could become much rarer than they are now.

“If a vaccination programme is successful, it should significantly reduce the chances of a child getting chickenpox and then developing shingles,” he says.

The shingles vaccine may also be a contributing factor, but its current cost makes it difficult for many people to afford.

“It's very effective and recommended for older people,” Stack said, “but it's not covered by the vaccination programme and costs around €500.”

As we wait for updates on the vaccination programme, it's probably best to listen to what Creevey has to say.

“Because the virus is already in your body, there's no way to prevent shingles other than being careful,” she says, “but if you have any signs of shingles, go to your doctor right away, as they can help you recover.”