The virus that causes shingles — varicella-zoster virus — is also the virus that causes chickenpox. Your doctor's concern may stem from reports of rare cases in which people with no immunity to chickenpox — meaning they've never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine — have caught varicella-zoster virus from children recently vaccinated with the chickenpox vaccine.

However, there are no documented cases of the varicella-zoster virus being transmitted from adults vaccinated with the shingles vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Your doctor's caution also refers to the previous shingles vaccine (Zostavax) that is a live-attenuated vaccine, meaning it uses a weakened form of the live virus. A new shingles vaccine (Shingrix) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2017. The new vaccine is inactivated, meaning it uses a dead version of the virus, eliminating the risk of transmission.

Varicella-zoster vaccines are approved for children age 12 months and older to prevent chickenpox and for adults age 50 and older to prevent shingles, but the formulations are different, and the vaccines are not interchangeable.

According to the CDC, in normal circumstances it's unnecessary to avoid pregnant women and unvaccinated children after you get the shingles vaccine. However, if you are vaccinated with Zostavax and develop a rash, take the precaution of keeping it covered until all the bumps crust over.

To develop shingles, you have to catch chickenpox first, which typically happens in childhood. When you get over chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus stays in your body, but remains dormant, often for many years and possibly for life. As you age, though, there's an increasing risk that the virus will reactivate, resulting in shingles.

People looking to receive the shingles vaccine now have two options. The Food and Drug Administration in 2017 approved Shingrix. It's the preferred alternative to Zostavax, which was approved in 2006.

Both vaccines are approved for adults age 50 and older for the prevention of shingles and related complications, whether they've already had shingles or not. You may get the Shingrix vaccine even if you've already had shingles. Also, consider getting the Shingrix vaccine if you've had the Zostavax vaccine or if you don't know whether you've had chickenpox.

Zostavax is a live vaccine given as a single injection, usually in the upper arm. Shingrix is a nonliving vaccine made of a virus component. It's given in two doses, with two to six months between doses. The most common side effects of either shingles vaccine are redness, pain, tenderness, swelling and itching at the injection site, and headaches.

Some people report a chickenpox-like rash after getting the shingles vaccine.

Although some people will develop shingles despite vaccination, the vaccine may reduce the severity and duration of it.

Talk to your doctor about your vaccination options if you:

• Have ever had an allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin or any other component of the shingles vaccine
• Have a weakened immune system due to HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects the immune system
• Are receiving immune system-suppressing drugs or treatments, such as steroids, adalimumab (Humira), infliximab (Remicade), etanercept (Enbrel), radiation or chemotherapy
• Have cancer that affects the bone marrow or lymphatic system, such as leukemia or lymphoma
• Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant

Zostavax has been shown to offer protection against shingles for about five years. Although Zostavax is approved for people age 50 and older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that Zostavax be given at age 60, when the risk of shingles and its complications is highest.

Studies suggest protection against shingles with Shingrix may extend beyond five years. Shingrix is approved and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for people age 50 and older, including those who've previously received Zostavax.

The cost of the shingles vaccine may not be covered by Medicare, Medicaid or insurance. Check your plan.

Making healthy diet changes can help you improve your heart health and live a healthy lifestyle if you have a heart condition such as atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder.

Aim to eat a heart-healthy diet, including:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Low-fat or fat-free dairy products
• Proteins such as lean meats, nuts, seeds and beans
• Foods low in salt, added sugars, saturated fat and trans fat

In addition, your doctor may recommend that you limit or avoid alcohol if you have atrial fibrillation, as alcohol can cause health issues in some people.

If you have diabetes, it's important to control your blood sugar levels.

You may need to avoid certain foods if you're taking certain medications to prevent blood clots. For example, if you're taking warfarin — a blood-thinning medication — your doctor will recommend that you avoid eating large amounts of leafy green vegetables. These vegetables have vitamin K in them, which can interfere with the effects of your medication.

Discuss with your doctor any questions you may have about your diet.

Also, your doctor will likely recommend other healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure levels under control.

Regular physical activity is an important way for you to live a healthy lifestyle, which can make you feel better and decrease symptoms while dealing with heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm disorder. Getting active can also help prevent other heart diseases or strokes.

One study found that moderate physical activity is safe and effective for people with atrial fibrillation. Physical activity also helped improve their quality of life and increase their ability to exercise and participate in daily living activities.

However, research is conflicting regarding the effects of vigorous physical activity in people with atrial fibrillation. More research is needed to determine the effects of physical activity in people with atrial fibrillation.

Be sure to ask your doctor before beginning an exercise program to ensure it is safe and effective for you. Sometimes you may need medications, such as beta blockers, to prevent your heart from beating too fast at rest and with exercise. You may also benefit from cardiac rehabilitation.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity for adults each week. Also, aim to include strength training exercises at least twice a week. You may want to do stretching exercises as part of your exercise routine.

Physical activity can include many options, such as:

• Climbing stairs
• Walking
• Jogging
• Swimming
• Biking
• Playing sports

It's OK if you can't exercise for long periods of time when you first begin. Even 10 minutes of exercise three times each day can reap health benefits.

So start moving. Even if you can only exercise for a short time at first, do what you can. Work your way toward larger fitness goals as you're able.

A silent heart attack is a heart attack that has few, if any, symptoms or has symptoms you don't recognize as a sign of a heart attack. You might not have chest pain or shortness of breath, which are typically associated with a heart attack.

People who have a silent heart attack might later recall that they had indigestion, the flu or a strained chest muscle. But a silent heart attack, like any heart attack, involves blockage of blood flow to your heart and possible damage to the heart muscle.

The risk factors for a silent heart attack are the same as those for a heart attack with symptoms. Risk factors include:

• Age
• Diabetes
• Excess weight
• Family history of heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Lack of exercise
• Prior heart attack
• Tobacco use

Having a silent heart attack puts you at a greater risk of having another heart attack, which could be deadly. Having another heart attack also increases your risk of complications, such as heart failure.

There are no tests to determine your potential for having a silent heart attack. But if you have risk factors, your doctor should evaluate and treat them to reduce your chance of having a silent heart attack. The only way to tell if you've had a silent heart attack is to have imaging tests, such as an electrocardiogram or echocardiogram. These tests can reveal changes that signal a heart attack.

If you think that you've had a silent heart attack, talk to your doctor. A review of your symptoms and health history and a physical exam can help your doctor decide if you need more tests.

Ruptured silicone breast implants can cause breast pain or changes in the contour or shape of the breast. However, ruptured silicone breast implants aren't thought to cause breast cancer, reproductive problems or connective tissue disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

When a silicone breast ruptures, it might go unnoticed because the silicone tends to remain trapped in the surrounding tissue. This is known as a silent rupture.

It's possible, however, for the tissue to become irritated and swollen. Additional scar tissue also might form. This can cause problems in the breast, including:

• Pain, soreness or swelling
• Changes in size or shape
• Lumps
• Hardening

If you have silicone breast implants and suspect that an implant might have ruptured, talk to your plastic surgeon. An imaging test, such as an MRI or ultrasound, can show whether the implant has ruptured.

If you have a silent rupture — one that's not causing signs or symptoms — your plastic surgeon will explain possible treatment options. Some women take a wait-and-see approach, while others prefer to remove or replace the ruptured implant. Ask your surgeon to help you weigh the pros and cons.

If you have a ruptured silicone implant that's causing signs or symptoms, your surgeon will likely recommend surgical removal. If you want, a new implant can usually be inserted at the same time. If you no longer want breast implants, you might want a breast lift or other corrective surgery.

Keep in mind that breast implants aren't guaranteed to last a lifetime. Continue to have yearly clinical breast exams by your doctor. If there are new changes, see a plastic surgeon for monitoring and to review treatment options.

Yes, a sinus infection (sinusitis) or inflammation can cause a toothache — specifically in the upper rear teeth, which are close to the sinuses. In fact, pain in the upper teeth is a fairly common symptom with sinus conditions.

If you have a persistent toothache, first consult your dentist for an exam. He or she will consider possible dental causes for the toothache, such as periodontal disease, tooth grinding, cavities or dental abscesses.

If your dentist rules out a dental cause for the toothache, consult your doctor. He or she will consider whether a sinus condition or other underlying medical problem is contributing to the toothache.

When you sit, you use less energy than you do when you stand or move. Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns. They include obesity and a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels — that make up metabolic syndrome. Too much sitting overall and prolonged periods of sitting also seem to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Any extended sitting — such as at a desk, behind a wheel or in front of a screen — can be harmful. An analysis of 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking. However, unlike some other studies, this analysis of data from more than 1 million people found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day countered the effects of too much sitting. Another study found that sitting time contributed little to mortality for people who were most active.

More study is needed on the effects of sitting and physical activity on health. However, it seems clear that less sitting and more moving overall contribute to better health. You might start by simply standing rather than sitting when you have the chance or finding ways to walk while you work. For example:

• Take a break from sitting every 30 minutes.
• Stand while talking on the phone or watching television.
• If you work at a desk, try a standing desk — or improvise with a high table or counter.
• Walk with your colleagues for meetings rather than sitting in a conference room.
• Position your work surface above a treadmill — with a computer screen and keyboard on a stand or a specialized treadmill-ready vertical desk — so that you can be in motion throughout the day.

The impact of movement — even leisurely movement — can be profound. For starters, you'll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy. Also, physical activity helps maintain muscle tone, your ability to move and your mental well-being, especially as you age.

No, but Sjogren's syndrome can cause symptoms that you might mistake for a urinary tract infection (UTI). Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which the moisture-secreting glands of the eyes and mouth became inflamed, producing fewer tears and less saliva.

Sjogren's syndrome can also cause vaginal dryness — which may result in discomfort during sexual intercourse and an increase in the risk of bacterial and fungal vaginal infections. Painful urination, a common symptom of UTIs, also can occur with vaginal infections.

If you have Sjogren's syndrome, you are also more likely to have a condition called painful bladder syndrome, or interstitial cystitis. This condition causes signs and symptoms similar to those of a urinary tract infection — urinary frequency, urgency and pain — without evidence of infection.

Pregnancy can cause a number of changes in your skin, thanks to shifts in your hormones and blood flow. For example:

• Pigmentation changes. The area around your nipples and the skin on your inner thighs, genitals and neck might darken, possibly due to hormonal changes. You might notice a dark line from your navel to your pubic bone (linea nigra). Dark patches might develop on your face (chloasma). Avoid sun exposure, which can worsen chloasma. After childbirth, skin typically returns to its normal pigment over a period of several months. However, some dark patches due to chloasma might never go away.
• Acne. Some women have trouble with acne during pregnancy. To counter acne, wash with a gentle cleanser. Shampoo regularly, don't pick blemishes and be careful about what touches your skin.
• Varicose veins. You might develop enlarged veins in your legs (varicose veins) due to your uterus exerting greater pressure on these veins. Hormonal changes during pregnancy also might play a role. Varicose veins that develop during pregnancy generally improve without medical treatment three to 12 months after delivery.
• Stretch marks. Stretch marks (striae) are indented streaks that often appear on the abdomen, breasts, hips, buttocks and thighs. They're caused by the stretching of the skin and are common during the second and third trimesters. Many creams, ointments and other products claim to prevent or treat stretch marks. However, treatments are only partially effective and won't remove stretch marks completely.

If you're concerned about lingering skin changes, talk to your health care provider.