Shingles (Herpes Zoster): Treatments
A painful skin rash with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body (left or right), often in a stripe.
Part of: Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
About Shingles Treatments
Pain and fever can be relieved with medication such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) or acetylsalicylic acid (“Aspirin“). Prescription painkillers are sometimes an option for more severe pain.
Thorough skin care is recommended if you have shingles. Antiseptic or anti-itch lotions, gels and powders may be used to relieve the itching and dry out the blisters. Most of them contain tanins, zinc, menthol or polidocanol. If blisters have already formed cool wraps are sometimes suggested. But there is no good scientific research on how well these treatments work.
Antiviral drugs can be used in people who are over 50 or have a weakened immune system, if the condition is very severe, affects the head and neck area, or there is a higher risk of complications. Using this medication early on can help speed up recovery and make the pain go away faster. For that reason it is recommended to start antiviral therapy no later than 72 hours after the rash starts.
In severe cases the medicine can also be given as an intravenous infusion. It is common to also use corticosteroids if the ear is affected. The pros and cons of these kinds of combination therapies are unclear, though, because different studies have produced different results… Read more about Shingles (Herpes Zoster): Treatments
