A growing number of millennials are contracting shingles, a painful viral infection historically associated with older populations, according to medical research and patient accounts.
Data from a US research paper showed that cases among individuals aged 30 to 49 more than doubled between 1998 and 2017.
>>> Steven Bartlett's Podcast Faces Criticism Over Guests and Neutrality
Although older cohorts experience more cases overall, the sharpest rise occurred in this younger demographic.
Francine Jones, a 39-year-old healthcare assistant from Hereford, experienced severe symptoms starting in May.
Her condition began with a pricking sensation before progressing to severe blistering and burning pain across her torso.
"It was a really sharp, intense pain, as if someone was giving me an electric shock … it took my breath away," Jones said, describing the stabbing sensations that occurred every ten minutes.
Following diagnosis by a pharmacist, Jones was prescribed seven days of antiviral medication and nerve pain treatment.
The infection forced her to take two months off work while managing ongoing aches.
"It was like something was crawling all over me all the time," Jones said, describing the intense itching stage that disrupted her sleep.
Jones noted that her perception of the disease differed significantly from her experience. "I always thought it was old people who got shingles," she said.
A study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that individuals aged 30 to 39 with conditions such as asthma, diabetes, depression, and stress faced higher shingles risks than immunocompetent adults aged 50 to 59.
