Shingles Vaccine Side Effects

Common shingles vaccine (Shingrix) side effects include mild pain and redness at the injection site. Some people have fatigue, headache, and fever after getting the shingles shot. The side effects of Shingrix may last for two to three days but are not serious. More serious side effects after a shingles shot, like an allergic reaction, are rare.

The shingles vaccination helps prevent shingles (herpes zoster) and complications of the illness, such as nerve pain. While it’s important to know about the potential side effects of the shingles vaccine, the benefits of vaccination usually outweigh concerns about side effects.

What Is the Shingles Vaccine?

Shingrix is an FDA-approved vaccine that can prevent shingles (herpes zoster) in adults over the age of 50 and in immunocompromised adults over the age of 18. The shingles shot can protect you from developing shingles symptoms and complications such as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Common Side Effects of the Shingles Vaccine

Studies have shown that the shingles vaccine is safe. If people do have side effects after the shot, they are usually not serious and do not last long. Common side effects of the shingles vaccine include:

• Mild to moderate pain in the injection arm
• Redness and swelling at the injection site
• Fatigue
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Fever and chills
• Stomach pain
• Nausea

Side effects of the shingles vaccine tend to be more common in younger people. They are usually mild but might get in the way of your normal daily activities for a few days.

While side effects can feel like a downside of the shingles vaccine, keep in mind that the symptoms you’re having mean that your immune system is learning to build a defense against the shingle virus—which is what the vaccine is meant to do.

You can ask your provider if it’s OK to take Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen) after a shingles vaccine to help with your symptoms. Generally taking it easy for a few days and drinking plenty of fluids can help, too. 

Rare Side Effects of the Shingles Vaccine

In rare cases, a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can happen after a shingles vaccine. It’s a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate medical attention.

Symptoms of anaphylaxis after receiving the shingles vaccine include:

• Hives
• Swelling of the face/throat
• Difficulty breathing
• A fast heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Weakness
  

These side effects usually start immediately or within a few minutes of vaccination (in which case medical providers may be nearby and can help). If you have symptoms of anaphylaxis after you get home from getting your shingles shot, call 911.

Can the Shingles Shot Cause Guillain-Barré Syndrome?

It’s rare, but a condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome can happen after the shingles vaccine or after you’ve had the shingles virus. It is an autoimmune condition in which cells that are part of the immune system attack nerve cells. The symptoms include loss of sensation and muscle paralysis that comes on fast, typically spreading up from the lower half of your body (e.g., the legs).

Guillain-Barré syndrome can be life-threatening, so contact a healthcare provider right away if you think you may have symptoms after getting a shingles shot.

Who Should Get the Shingles Vaccine

The CDC recommends the following people get a shingles vaccine:

• Adults aged 50 and older
• Adults who have never had shingles
  
• Adults who have had shingles before (it's possible to get shingles multiple times)
• Adults who are not sure whether they had chickenpox
• Adults who were previously vaccinated with the Zostavax shingles vaccine (which is no longer available in the United States)
• Adults aged 19 or older and adults who are (or will be) immunodeficient or immunosuppressed because of a disease or treatment

Weighing the Pros and Cons of the Shingles Vaccine

The vaccine to prevent shingles will help you to avoid shingles symptoms and the potential complications of shingles. While some people only get a mild case of shingles, it can cause severe illness, pain, and complications in other people.

Shingles symptoms usually come in stages, though how the infection progresses can be a little different for everyone. Early signs of shingles may include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Nausea
• Headache
• Burning, tingling, or sensitivity at the site of the rash before it appears on the skin

After three to five days, shingles looks like a prickly, painful pimple-like rash. In the eruptive stage, the pimples turn into blisters, and your skin can be red and swollen. Shingles sores also can affect your mouth.

Shingles is generally not life-threatening unless you have a weakened immune system.  During an outbreak of shingles and after the rash clears up, some people might get complications that require immediate medical attention.

Common shingles complications include:

• Postherpetic neuralgia (PNH: damaged nerves cause lingering pain for three months or more)
• Bacterial skin infections (when shingles blisters pop, bacteria can get in)
  
• Eye damage (one branch of the trigeminal nerve goes to the eye and shingles can cause serious damage) 
  

Who Should Not Get It

The CDC says some people should not get Shingrix. Your doctor may not recommend the shingles vaccine if:

• You have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine or after a dose of Shingrix.
• You currently have shingles.
• You are currently pregnant.
• You have tested negative for VZV immunity (which means they have not had chickenpox and should get the chickenpox vaccine instead).
  
• You are currently sick with a severe or moderate acute illness, such as a respiratory infection.

Your healthcare provider can answer any questions you have about whether the vaccine is safe for you.

How to Reduce Shingles Shot Side Effects

You cannot necessarily prevent side effects from a shingles shot and there isn’t much you can do to make them go away faster. 

In general, taking it easy for the rest of the day after your vaccine, getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, and making quality sleep a priority will help your body do the important job of preparing itself to fight off a shingles infection in the future. 

Summary

Getting a shingles vaccine is the only way to prevent shingles. While you can have some mild side effects, the benefits of the shingles shot outweigh the risk of side effects or rare complications for most people. 

If you’re not sure if you can and should get a shingles vaccine, talk to your provider. While the shingles shot is effective and safe for most people who are eligible for it, there are some situations where you might not want to get it or you may want to delay getting the vaccine—for example, if you’re currently sick or pregnant.