How To Ease Shingles Pain

Opt For Otc Pain Relievers

Over-the-counter options like Tylenol can ease the discomfort of shingles rash and even mild PHN. At least for early pain, we often use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , like ibuprofen or naxopren, Dr. Auwaerter notes. Theyre easy to pick up at any drugstore, but theyre not always ideal for frequent and/or long-term use. NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation and stomach ulcers, and can harm the kidneys unless taken with large volumes of water. If you experience abdominal pain or constipation, ask your doctor to help you find another option.

Preventing The Virus Spreading

If you have the shingles rash, do not share towels or flannels, go swimming, or play contact sports. This will help prevent the virus being passed on to someone who has not had chickenpox.

You should also avoid work or school if your rash is weeping and cannot be covered.

Chickenpox can be particularly dangerous for certain groups of people. If you have shingles, avoid:

• women who are pregnant and have not had chickenpox before as they could catch it from you, which may harm their unborn baby
• people who have a weak immune system, such as someone with HIV or AIDS
• babies less than one month old, unless it is your own baby, in which case your baby should have antibodies to protect them from the virus

Once your blisters have dried and scabbed over, you are no longer contagious and will not need to avoid anyone.

Aloe Vera And Cayenne Pepper

Aloe Vera has curative antifungal and anti-microbial properties that help to heal the blisters and sores caused due to shingles damage. Cayenne paper, on the other hand, has high contents of a compound called capsaicin, which helps get rid of pains, itching, and inflammation and prevents the infected area from further infections.

To use aloe Vera:

You can also use organic cold-pressed Aloe Vera

You May Like: How Do Shingles Go Away

How Is Postherpetic Neuralgia Treated

If shingles is caught within the first three days of its outbreak, your healthcare provider may prescribe the antiviral medication acyclovir , valacyclovir or famciclovir . These medications help the rash/blisters heal faster, keep new sores from forming, decrease pain and itching and reduce length of pain after sores have healed.

If your shingles outbreak is not caught early, your healthcare providers has many options to manage your postherpetic neuralgia symptoms.

If your pain is mild, your healthcare provider may recommend:

• Acetaminophen or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen .
• Creams and patches include lidocaine and capsaicin .

If your pain is more severe, your healthcare may prescribe:

• Antiseizure drugs gabapentin and pregabalin .
• Antidepressants, such as escitalopram , quetiapine or amitriptyline.
• Botulinum toxin injections in the area where you are having pain.

Theres no clear-cut superior treatment for PHN. Your provider may need to try more than one medication or prescribe the use of several medications at the same time. You and your provider will discuss options and what makes sense to try for you. Contact your provider if your pain is not lessening after taking your medicine. Take all your medications exactly as prescribed.

Coping With Shingles Pain

If you have shingles, you may be wondering how to cope with the pain:

• Be sure to get plenty of sleep and eat a healthy diet to help boost your immune system.
• Wear comfortable, loose clothing with natural fiber .
• Establish or maintain a regular exercise routine.
• Utilize home remedies to help soothe pain from blisters.
• Engage in activities that help take your mind off of the pain.
• Establish a routine to help manage stress.
• Seek out support when needed from family and friends as well as professional supportive services.

Read Also: What Cream Is Good For Shingles

From Oatmeal Baths To Cold Compresseslearn How To Soothe Shingles Pain And Itching With These At

Medically reviewed in June 2022

Shingles is a painful, blistering rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus , the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, VZV remains in the body in an inactive state. Shingles occurs when the virus becomes active again, and most often appears as a single band of blisters that wraps one side of the torso, though it can appear on any part of the body. Its estimated that one in three people in the United States will experience shingles at some point in their lifetime.

While there is no cure for shingles, there are antiviral treatments available that can ease symptoms and reduce the duration of the infection. Antiviral treatments should be started within the first 48 to 72 hours, and preferably within the first 24 hoursif you or a loved one has shingles, see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

How to soothe shingles at home In addition to following the instructions for shingles care given to you by your healthcare provider, the ideas below may help you get relief from the itching and pain.

Apply a lotion or cream During the blistering phase of shingles you can apply calamine lotion to soothe shingles pain and itching. Be sure to wash your hands and keep the nozzle of the lotion bottle clean in order to prevent infection. Once the blisters have scabbed over, you may want to try capsaicin cream, which is used to relieve neuralgia, or nerve pain in the skin.

Hearing Loss And Facial Weakness

Complications of herpes zoster oticus and Ramsay Hunt syndrome might include hearing loss and facial weakness. For most people, these are temporary symptoms, but it is possible for the damage to become permanent, especially if shingles is left untreated.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome accounts for up to 12% of facial paralysis. In some cases, it has a worse outcome than Bells palsya condition that causes temporary weakness in the muscles of the face.

Also Check: Loose Non Stick Sterile Bandages For Shingles

Skin Care And Itch Relief For Shingles

To relieve itching and discomfort, try:

• A cool, wet compresses on the affected skin
• Soothing baths and lotions, such as colloidal oatmeal bath, starch baths, or calamine lotion
• Zostrix, a cream that contains capsaicin
• Antihistamines to reduce itching

Keep your skin clean. Throw away bandages you use to cover your skin sores. Throw away or wash in hot water clothing that has contact with your skin sores. Wash your sheets and towels in hot water.

While your skin sores are still open and oozing, avoid all contact with anyone who has never had chickenpox, especially pregnant women.

What Are The Pain Complications Of Shingles

Many sufferers have described the pain as extremely severe, and some even require narcotic pain-relief medications.

A blistering rash usually accompanies the outbreak. New blisters continue to appear for several days, and the entire outbreak can take weeks to heal. Blisters may cover the entire path of the affected nerve, or the involvement may be patchy. Involvement of the eyes during a shingles outbreak can be particularly serious, since scarring of the cornea and permanent vision loss can result.

Another debilitating complication of shingles is known as postherpetic neuralgia. In postherpetic neuralgia, the pain of shingles persists even after the rash has healed. The diagnosis is made when pain lasts for over 30 days after an outbreak. This pain can last for weeks, months, or even years. Up to 15% of people with shingles have this persistent pain, and it is not understood why the pain persists in some people, but it is likely that some type of nerve damage or inflammation occurs during the outbreak that leads to continued pain.

Recommended Reading: What To Eat With Shingles

Other Treatment Recommendations For Shingles

If you think you have shingles, see your doctor as soon as possible. This increases the effectiveness of any treatment your doctor will prescribe for you. The treatment doesnt cure shingles. Its meant to help you manage the pain.

Besides acupuncture, you can use other methods to manage your pain. These include:

• antiviral drugs such as Famvir, Zovirax, and Valtrex
• over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers
• calamine lotion, colloidal oatmeal, andwet compresses

Two vaccines are available for adults ages 50 years and older. The Food and Drug Administration approved Shingrix and Zostavax for use. These vaccines reduce the risk of getting shingles. If an older adult still gets shingles after being vaccinated, the symptoms may be less intense.

Shingrix, made from a dead germ, is the preferred vaccine. People with weakened immune systems can get it. Its risky for this group to get the Zostavax vaccine, which contains a live but weakened germ.

Zostavax has not been sold in the United States since November 18, 2020. If you received this vaccine, the

You May Like: Cvs Shingrix Vaccine Appointment

I Think I Have Shingles What Should I Do

Repeat after me: Call your doctor right away, within 72 hours. The earlier the better.

You should start taking an antiviral medication, preferably valacyclovir or famciclovir, within 72 hours of your symptoms starting to help reduce the severity of the infection, how long your skin rash lasts, and how painful it gets. If its been more than 72 hours, you should still talk to your provider. Treatment can still help, especially if you still see new rashes showing up.

You May Like: Cvs Shingles Vaccine

Also Check: How Long After Having Shingles Should I Get The Vaccine

These Home Remedies Should Provide Relief During A Case Of Shingles

The editors at Health are a dedicated team of experienced health editors, writers, and other media professionals who strive to bring trustworthy and responsible health and medical content to their readers. As a team, we have decades of experience in health journalism and have worked at legacy publishers and some of the biggest news and media companies in the U.S.

Anyone who had chickenpox as a kid remembers the red, painfully itchy blister-like rash, and perhaps the fever and fatigue that came along with it. But even though it’s true you’re now inoculated against chickenpox for life, there’s one pox-related complication you may not have considered: Shingles.

Shingles is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus , and causes a painful, itchy rash in one place on the body. Shingles is most common in adults over 50 years of age in fact, about half of people over age 80 may experience it.

Shingles often begin as pain and itching in the skin before a red rash appears one to two days later, with small, water-filled blisters. These blisters soon rupture and scar over, healing and fading over the course of a few weeks. This process can be extremely uncomfortable and painful, making even the littlest actions difficult.

Here’s how to minimize discomfort and pain with stuff you probably already have at home:

Is There A Way To Prevent Shingles

Fortunately, a vaccine is available for older adults that can prevent shingles and reduce the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. The Zostavaxshingles vaccine was approved in 2006. In 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a newer vaccine, Shingrix, as the preferred vaccine. The older Zostavax is a live vaccine given as a single injection, and the newer Shingrix is a nonliving vaccine. The newer Shingrix vaccine is given in two doses two to six months apart. Shingles vaccination is recommended for use in people over 60 years of age.

Antiviral medications, including acyclovir and valacyclovir , when administered early enough in the course of the disease, can decrease the severity and duration of the outbreak, reduce the risk of eye damage if the eyes are involved, and reduce the likelihood of developing postherpetic neuralgia. It is recommended that antiviral drugs be given within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms for the best outcome.

Pain medications can also be effective in controlling shingles pain. These may be applied to the skin, like the capsaicin topical patch or lidocaine . Oral medications that can help with pain control in people with shingles include tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline and certain antiseizure medications such as gabapentin .

Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

You May Like: Why Does My Arm Hurt So Much After Shingles Shot

Who Should Not Be Vaccinated With Shingrix

Shingrix is given by injection into the upper arm. Shingrix is generally well tolerated. In general, Shingrix is not recommended for: People who are allergic to any component of Shingrix. People with a weakened immune system. People who have a weakened immune system because of:

HIV/AIDS, or- cancer treatments

Donât Miss: What Are The Early Symptoms Of Shingles

What Can I Take To Feel Better

Your doctor has a host of ways to treat your pain after shingles, including a variety of medications. They include:

Anticonvulsants: These medications were developed to control seizures, but they can also help reduce the pain of postherpetic neuralgia. Examples are:

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about side effects of any new prescription or over-the-counter medication.

Also Check: How To Figure How Many Shingles You Need

Can I Give Shingles To Others

No one can catch shingles from you, but they can catch chickenpox if they have not already had it or had the shot. The chickenpox virus lives in the spots from shingles, and the virus can be spread until the spots are completely dried up. If you have shingles, you should stay away from babies younger than 12 months and pregnant women.

Articles On Shingles Treatment

• Alternative Treatments

The virus that causes chickenpox is also what causes shingles. Itâs called varicella zoster. It can lie quietly in your nerves for decades after causing chickenpox but suddenly wake up and become active.

The main symptom of shingles is a painful rash that comes up on one side of your body or face. See your doctor as soon as you can if you think you might have this condition.

Your doctor may want to put you on medications to control your infection and speed up healing, cut inflammation, and ease your pain. They include:

Also Check: Walgreens Shingle Shots

Read Also: Is It Possible To Have Shingles Without A Rash

Treatment For Shingles Rash And Pain

Medications and lifestyle changes can provide relief.

Despite the availability of a highly effective vaccine, an estimated 1 million Americans develop shingles each year.1 Early diagnosis and treatment are key to limiting the severity of the outbreak as well as its associated complications, including nerve damage. There are also simple at-home remedies that can help patients stay as comfortable as possible.

Antiviral medications should be started within 72 hours of the first shingles symptoms. The three antivirals most often prescribed are acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir. They help the shingles rash crust over, dry up, and heal, shortening the course of the infection.

Pain is a major factor with shingles. Patients can consult with their health care provider on over-the-counter and prescription options to manage it. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen can be effective, while prescription glucocorticoids such as prednisone can help with more aggressive pain. Short-term usage of opioid pain medicationlike oxycodone or hydrocodone/acetaminophen is reserved for the highest levels of pain.

Shingles typically lasts between 2 and 6 weeks patients are usually confined to their home for the duration both for their own comfort and to prevent spreading the virus to others. There are a number of simple steps they can take to promote healing and increase their comfort level.

References

Antiviral Medicines For Shingles

Antiviral medicines used to treat shingles include aciclovir, famciclovir and valaciclovir. An antiviral medicine does not kill the virus but works by stopping the virus from multiplying. So, it may limit the severity of symptoms of the shingles episode.

An antiviral medicine is most useful when started in the early stages of shingles . However, in some cases your doctor may still advise you have an antiviral medicine even if the rash is more than 72 hours old particularly in elderly people with severe shingles, or if shingles affects an eye.

Antiviral medicines are not advised routinely for everybody with shingles. As a general rule, the following groups of people who develop shingles will normally be advised to take an antiviral medicine:

• If you are over the age of 50. The older you are, the more risk there is of severe shingles or complications developing and the more likely you are to benefit from treatment.
• If you are of any age and have any of the following:
• Shingles that affects the eye or ear.
• A poorly functioning immune system .
• Shingles that affects any parts of the body apart from the trunk .
• Moderate or severe pain.

If prescribed, a course of an antiviral medicine normally lasts seven days.

Read Also: What Works For Shingles Pain

What You Can Do About Nerve Pain That Lingers After Shingles

Chronic pain that continues after a case of shingles is called postherpetic neuralgia . It is estimated that about 20% of patients will experience this type of nerve pain as a complication of shingles.

Those who have had chickenpox are at risk of developing shingles later in life. People who develop PHN are generally age 60 and older. Although there is no cure for PHN, there are several methods of pain management that can ease symptoms. Fortunately, the type of pain that arises from postherpetic neuralgia improves over time.

Neuralgia affects the nerves, causing structural and functional damage. It can feel like a stabbing or burning pain that radiates along the affected nerve.

Neuropathic pain is not caused by an external injury or stimuli but originates from inside the nervous system. When the herpes-varicella zoster virus is reactivated in the form of shingles, scar tissue forms alongside nerves, creating pressure, and sending pain signals to the brain.