Shingles Medical Treatment

Written by Barbara Messner

Treatment for Shingles focuses on pain management and topical medication for the rash, but the complications can be severe so make sure you see your doctor if you think you have Shingles.

About Shingles

Shingles is a disease that targets those aged sixty or over, yet other ages can get the disease. If you’ve had Chickenpox, you can get Shingles. The flu-like symptoms include aches and pains, and these symptoms are usually accompanied by small blisters or a rash. The disease is highly contagious until the rash and/or watery blisters scab over. The pain of Shingles can last long after the rash disappears. You can get Shingles more than once.

Call your doctor if you have a rash or blisters on one side of your body. These lesions can be in a band or line or you could have just one blister. The usually occur on only one side of the body…especially in the beginning. If you have blisters anywhere near your eyes see the doctor immediately as the disease can spread to your eyes and cause serious eye damage.

Medical Treatment

The medical options used to treat Shingles are fairly simple and there aren’t many of them. There isn’t a medication specifically used for Shingles. If the disease is identified within 24-72 hours of the onset of the rash, Doctors can prescribe an antiviral medication.

Antiviral Medication

The antiviral medications used for Shingles are acyclovir, known as Zovirax; valacyclovir, known as Valtrex; or famciclover, known as Famvir. This type of medication is only effective if used during that beginning window of time so it is important to call your doctor immediately and let them know you suspect Shingles.

Pain Control

Pain is a large part of having Shingles. This is one of the major diagnosing factors of the disease. The pain medication that is normally recommended includes acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or tricyclic antidepressants. If the pain escalates and PHN, also known as postherpetic neuralgia sets in, stronger pain medication will be prescribed. If you get PHN, this medication may be oxycodone or morphine.
Some patients may not respond to these usual pain treatments, at that time they will most likely be referred to a pain management specialist.

Topical Treatment

A topical cream for the itching symptom will probably be recommended or prescribed. There are natural options and prescribed steroid type creams.

Vaccine

There is a relatively new vaccine available for Shingles. It is not considered a solid prevention against Shingles, but decreases your chance of getting the disease by about 50% and may lessen the severity of the disease. The vaccination is very expensive and may not be covered by insurance. It is not covered by Medicare Part B.

Don’t Scratch-Antihistamines

It might be common sense, but really: Don’t Scratch, it will itch and you will be miserable, but don’t scratch. Scratching increases the risk of a secondary bacterial infection under the skin and scarring. You can also spread the blisters to other parts of your body or to your eyes, mouth, etc. Use an oral antihistamine like Benadryl and apply topical creams to soothe. When my kids had Chickenpox, I put oatmeal in a nylon sock, tied the end and put it in a bath for them. It helped. Don’t try the instant oatmeal, it dissolve to easily.

Diagnosis

It is normally enough for a doctor to see the rash or blisters and to hear about the pain to determine the problem is Shingles. If there is any doubt, there are several tests available for confirmation. One older type test is called the Tzanck Smear. The procedure is to open a blister, take out some fluid and skin cells, putting them on a slide with some special stain and view under a microscope for certain viral changes.

There are viral cultures or special antibody tests of the blister that are a little more up to date and faster. A skin biopsy of the rash can also be viewed under a microscope and a culture of the biopsied tissue may be done if there are no blisters to examine.

Complications

Shingles should not be taken lightly. There are several serious conditions that can develop from the Shingles. Some of the problems could be eye damage, internal organ damage, pneumonia, encephalitis of the brain, and even death in extreme cases.

Anyone who has had Shingles will tell you the pain in itself is no small thing. The pain can be excruciating and last long after the rash and blisters are gone. Shingles cases vary with each individual. The more informed we are the better chance of catching the disease in the first stages and knowing what to do about it.

The best preventive for any illness is a strong immune system and as we get older and less active we have to consciously work to keep that immune system strong. We can work to keep our immune system strong by eating healthy, getting some good old fashioned exercise, fresh air and careful doses of sunshine.