NBA Star Tyrese Haliburton Opens Up About Painful Shingles Battle
Tyrese Haliburton didn't expect to be dealing with shingles at 26. The NBA star says the condition left him battling intense nerve pain, relentless itching, and weeks of medication, along with side effects like weight gain. He had to take time away from the Indiana Pacers to recover.
To learn more, Men's Journal spoke Samantha Picking, PharmD, Senior Director of Immunizations at Walgreens, to discuss this overlooked men's health risk.
Shingles used to be considered a disease of older men; what has changed? Dr. Picking said "Although 50 is the age when men start to lose their peak immune function, shingles can be triggered at younger ages."
What is Shingles?
For starters, shingles is the reactivation of the virus that causes chicken pox. It's triggered by illness, when your immune system is taxed, and stress. Many people blame stress for shingles in their young adult lives.
It usually appears on one side of the body with itchy bumps that become very painful. If caught within 72 hours of the symptoms first appearing, your doctor can give you an antiviral medication to lessen symptoms.
Haliburton has said that he's on a lot of medications, which cause side effects like weight gain, to combat the itchy and painful condition. "My eye is swollen from itching it," he said to Bleacher Report. The nerve pain can last the longest, even after the virus has passed through the system. "I've had nerve pain for two months."
"I have good and bad days, but mostly bad," he added.
One in three people in the U.S. will get shingles during their lifetime, according to the CDC. Fewer than 100 people die from this virus each year.
Preventing Shingles
"Lifestyle changes like improving your diet, getting enough rest, and addressing stress can help," Dr. Picking said, "But the shingles vaccine is the most effective way to prevent it."
Who Can Get the Vaccine?
It's not only for people age 50 and up. If you are between 19 to 49 years old and you have a condition that affects your immune system, you may be eligible for this vaccine. You can get it at your local pharmacy and it should be covered by your insurance. It comes in two doses that are given a few weeks apart, and while you might have a sore arm for a day or two, it's nothing compared to the misery of shingles.
The shingles vaccine has other benefits. It's been shown to lower dementia risk, which is a concern for many as they age.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 4:06 PM.