Treatment For Shingles Pain

The signs and symptoms of shingles usually affect only a small section of one side of your body.

Treatment for shingles pain.

Once a doctor confirms shingles they may suggest the following treatments. While antiviral medication is an effective treatment for shingles it s not the only option. If you have shingles symptoms get treatment now and you may avoid permanent nerve pain. The pain of shingles is for many people quite striking in its severity.

Acyclovir zovirax valacyclovir valtrex shingles can cause severe pain so your doctor also may prescribe. Shingles also known as herpes zoster results from a reactivation of infection with the varicella zoster virus that causes chickenpox anyone who has had chickenpox may develop shingles later in life although it is most common in older people. Shingles itself comes from reactivation of a chickenpox virus varicella zoster. The virus travels down nerve fibers to cause a painful skin rash.

Shingles can appear many years after the initial chickenpox infection. After the shingles rash has disappeared you might continue to have nerve pain in that same area. Roughly 30 to 60 of people over age 60 who get shingles go on to develop a chronic pain syndrome called post herpetic neuralgia. There s no cure for shingles but prompt treatment with prescription antiviral drugs can speed healing and reduce your risk of complications.

When the rash goes away the pain usually goes. Early treatment can limit pain help the rash heal quicker and may reduce scarring. To help relieve the pain your doctor may prescribe antiviral anti inflammation and other. Shingles causes a painful rash that can be accompanied by fever fatigue and sensitivity to light.

This pain called postherpetic neuralgia can last for months or years and become quite severe. Shingles is characterized by pain or a tingling sensation in a limited area on one side of the face or torso followed by a red rash with small fluid filled blisters. About 10 to 15 of people who get shingles develop postherpetic neuralgia. Learn about treatment options from a pain management specialist.