Treatment of Shingles Skin Rash
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1 million Americans come down with a shingles skin rash every year. These red, swollen blisters, accompanied by scathing pain, usually occur in people ages 60+ with a weakened immune system. Once a person has had chickenpox, some of the herpes viruses remain in the spinal cord for years, only to later emerge as a painful rash. There are many ways to treat this rash, but it's very important to react quickly to minimize nerve damage.
By the time you notice the red patches associated with a shingles skin rash, you have already had an active herpes virus in your system for one or two days. The shingles painful rash develops on one side of the face, chest or abdomen, where the nerves have been carrying the virus. The area where the rash develops is usually red, swollen and painful. The blistering is a brighter red and clusters together to form a "band-like" pattern around the body. During this time, an infected person could transmit the chickenpox virus to people who have never had it before. After three to five days, the blisters will scab over and the contagiousness phase is over. Within 2-4 weeks, the scabs fall off and the skin begins to heal.
Antiviral drugs are the first line of defense against the shingles skin rash. Ideally, they will be administered within 72 hours of the sight of shingles symptoms to reduce their severity and duration. Common pain prescriptions include acyclovir/Zovirax, valacyclovir/Valtrex and famciclovir/Famvir. In clinical studies, patients taking Famvir saw their shingles lesion heal 30% faster than those taking a placebo. Side effects of Famvir may include nausea, diarrhea and headaches. Side effects of Zovirax in 11% of patients is malaise, an overall feeling of discomfort, lethargy and confusion. Possible side effects of Valtrex may include headaches, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sore throat, colds and dizziness.
There are many over-the-counter pain medicine options to relieve the pain of a shingles skin rash. NSAIDs like ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil and Tylenol are commonly taken. Anti-itch creams containing hydrocortisone, like Cortaid or Aveeno Anti-itch Cream, can be found in most drug stores as well. Calamine lotion is commonly used on children with chickenpox, but it also works on shingles patients. For people with severe itching, Benadryl often helps.
Related topics about Shingles Skin Rash
Shingles Disease: The Facts
The shingles disease is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is part of the herpes viruses that cause chickenpox. Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles, as it often lies dormant in the nervous system for years. Doctors are still researching to figure out what triggers the dormant virus in some people, but they speculate that it may be due to a lowered immunity to infections as the body weakens with age.
Treating Shingles in the Eye
The treatment of shingles in the eye is not very invasive, usually. If caught early (within the first 72 hours of the rash appearance), doctors will prescribe an antiviral medication, like acyclovir or famvir that weakens the virus and reduces the risk of developing serious side effects, like post-herpetic neuralgia, incessant pain or glaucoma and blindness. Prescription eye drops and topical creams help to reduce itchiness and pain both in and around the eye.
The Shingles Virus Explained
Many people wonder if the shingles virus is contagious. While the chickenpox virus is extremely contagious and easily spreads from one person to the next via contact with the skin or lesion fluid, a person cannot get shingles from someone who has shingles. However, a person who has never had chickenpox can get the virus from someone with an active case of shingles.