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Medical Advice on Shingles

Herpes zoster---commonly called shingles---is a viral infection characterized by painful, blistered skin that appears as a linear band or line. The virus that causes chickenpox is also responsible for causing shingles. After years of lying dormant in the system, this virus can be reactivated and come back in the form of herpes zoster. According to the Mayo Clinic, shingles usually appear in the middle of the back stretching to one side of the chest to the breastbone, following a path of nerves. Shingles can also appear on your neck, face or scalp.

  1. Treating Pain

    • Shingles can be extraordinarily painful. Before the appearance of the telltale rash, you may feel burning, tingling, numbness or intense sensitivity. The condition may also produce pus-filled blisters that crack, break open and crust over. Shingles will often go away within weeks; however, the Mayo Clinic reports that drug treatments can reduce pain, speed healing and minimize the risk of developing complications. Prednisone, a corticosteroid, is often prescribed to lessen inflammation, and over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol and Advil can reduce pain. For severe pain, your doctor may prescribe Vicodin or another opioid.

    Treating the Virus

    • The average incubation period for the virus is about two weeks, and symptoms can last from seven to 20 or more days. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, shingles among patients with immune disorders can linger for months. Nucleoside analogues are used to block reproduction of the virus and reduce the severity of symptoms. Medications approved for treating shingles---including Zovirax, Famvir and Valtrex---cannot kill the virus, but they do speed healing and significantly reduce the amount of time the virus takes to run its course. Nucleosides should be taken for seven days and begun within three days after symptoms appear.

    Reducing Symptoms and Prevention

    • Shingles is not a life-threatening condition. The National Institutes of Health report that about 25 percent of adults will have an episode at some point in their life, typically after the age of 40. Certain people have a higher risk for complications, including elderly people and those who have HIV or immune disorders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a shingles vaccine called Zostavax for people aged 60 and older---regardless of whether they have had an outbreak in the past.

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