MORE: 6 Myths About Shingles You Still Believe With the advent of the chickenpox vaccine for children, shingles will probably one day be just a footnote in medical history books. That offers little comfort to today’s sufferers, many of whom are older adults. One in four people who have had chickenpox develop shingles. As if the rash, blisters, and pain of a shingles outbreak weren’t enough, in some people shingles pain may persist long after the rash disappears. This complication, called post-herpetic neuralgia, results from damaged nerve fibers. It can be exceedingly painful and difficult to treat. Around 40% of the people who get shingles develop post-herpetic neuralgia, which has been described as “the worst kind of pain imaginable.” It’s important to see your doctor for this complicated condition.
15 Shingles Treatment Ideas To Combat The Pain
Here is what the experts recommend for the beginning stages of shingles.
Reach For Pain Relief
Jules Altman, MD, favors Extra-Strength Tylenol.
Take St. John’s Wort
This herbal remedy may help to reduce nerve pain and has antiviral properties as well, says Sota Omoigui, MD. He recommends taking 200 to 300 milligrams of St. John’s wort 2 or 3 times daily until the pain is gone. Note: Don’t combine St. John’s wort with any other medications. Lab studies found it boosts the power of a liver enzyme known as CYP3A4, which plays a role in dismantling more than half of all medicines.
Reach For Larrea Tridentata Extract
This traditional American Indian herb has antiviral properties and can be used for herpes simplex, says Cynthia Mervis Watson, MD. She recommends taking 50 to 100 milligrams 3 times a day with food from the time of diagnosis until the shingles outbreak is gone.
Try Lysine
A number of studies show that the amino acid lysine can help inhibit the spread of the herpes virus. Not all studies on lysine point to that conclusion, however. Trying lysine supplements at the onset of shingles can’t hurt and might help, says Leon Robb, MD. Taking 1,000 milligrams of lysine three times a day with antioxidants can also reduce the severity of the virus, says Watson. MORE: 8 Things You Need To Know About Shingles
For Shingles Blisters
Once blisters appear, there are several ways you can get relief.
Do Nothing
Leave the blisters alone unless your rash is really bad, says Robb. “You can retard healing if you irritate the skin by applying too many skin creams and ointments.”
Make A Calamine Liniment
This recipe comes from James J. Nordlund, MD. You may be able to get your local pharmacist to make it for you. To calamine lotion add 20 percent isopropyl alcohol and 1/2 to 1 percent each of phenol and menthol. If the phenol is too strong or the menthol too cool, dilute the liniment with equal parts water. “Use this as often as you want in the course of a day until the blisters are dried and scabbed over,” says Nordlund. “Then stop using it.”
Concot A Chloroform-And-Aspirin Paste
Mash 2 aspirin tablets into a powder. Add 2 tablespoons of chloroform and mix. Put the paste onto the affected skin with a clean cotton ball. You can apply the paste several times a day. You can also ask your pharmacist to make this mixture for you, Robb says. The chloroform is said to dissolve soap residue, oil, and dead cells in the skin. That leaves the aspirin to soak into the skin folds and desensitize the affected nerve endings. You should begin to feel better in 5 minutes. The relief can last for hours, even days. Skip this tip if you’re allergic to aspirin. MORE: Here’s What It Really Feels Like To Have Shingles
Apply A Wet Dressing To Severe Eruptions
Take a washcloth or towel, dip it in cold water, squeeze it out, and apply it to the affected area, says Nordlund. “The cooler it is, the better it feels,” he says.
Stay Cool
Avoid anything that will make your blistered skin hotter. Heat will just macerate the skin, says Robb.
Sink Into A Starch Bath
If you have shingles on your head, skip to the next tip. But if the problem is below your neck, this can help. Just throw a handful of cornstarch or colloidal oatmeal, such as Aveeno, into your bathwater and settle in for a good soak, says Nordlund. “People find this helpful, although the relief may not last long,” he says. “I often have my patients do this 20 minutes before bed, then they take something for the pain to help them sleep.”
Zap The Infection With Hydrogen Peroxide
If the blisters become infected, try dabbing them with hydrogen peroxide. Don’t dilute it. Straight out of the bottle is fine, says Robb.
Use An Antibiotic Ointment
But be careful about which one you choose. Neomycin and Neosporin are notorious skin sensitizers, says Nordlund. Polysporin and erythromycin are better choices.
Postblister Care
You may have some discomfort even after the blisters are gone. Here are some post-blister shingles treatment ideas.
Try Zostrix
Zostrix is an over-the-counter remedy for shingles pain. Its active ingredient is capsaicin, found in hot peppers and used to make cayenne pepper. Scientists believe it works by blocking the production of a chemical needed to transmit pain impulses between nerve cells. Using this topical ointment on blistering skin, however, is “like putting hot peppers on active shingles,” says Altman. “The idea behind Zostrix is its counterirritant effect. It is for healed skin that has a pain sensation, not for an open, oozing infection.”
Get The Benefits Of Capsaicin In Your Diet
Sprinkling cayenne pepper on your food may speed pain relief because it contains the same extract as the capsaicin in pain-relieving creams. Put it on eggs, soups, and casseroles, or use it in marinades and sauces. MORE: 14 Diseases That Often Go Hand-In-Hand With Another Illnesses
Chill Out With Ice
If you still have pain after the blisters have healed, put ice in a plastic bag and stroke the skin vigorously, says Robb. “What we’re trying to do here is confuse the nerves.”
Seek Emotional Help
Sometimes, for some people, long-lasting shingles pain may point to some underlying emotional need that’s not being met, says Altman. Is the pain diverting your attention away from some other problem? Or is the pain diverting much-needed attention to you? It’s an issue to consider, he says, and one that you may want to discuss with your doctor.
Visit The Doctor If You Have Shingles Symptoms
If you have symptoms of shingles and notice a rash beginning to develop, it’s important that you see a doctor as soon as possible, preferably within 72 hours. That’s because the 3 antiviral drugs approved to treat shingles need to be started early in the course of the illness. When they’re taken right away, these drugs have been proven to shorten the time of viral activity, help the rash to heal more quickly, and reduce the intensity and duration of shingles pain. Also if your shingles pain is more than you can stand, see your doctor as soon as possible. This is no time for stoicism. Ignore your discomfort, and you could end up with irreversible nerve damage and years of pain, says Robb.
Get Vaccinated
Just in case you’re turning the page thinking you can’t get shingles because you didn’t have chickenpox, hold on. If you didn’t have chickenpox as a child, you’re at a greater risk for getting a more virulent adult form of it, which can lead to hepatitis, pneumonia, or heart failure. Fortunately, you can get protection with the chickenpox vaccine, called Varivax. On the other hand, if you have had chickenpox, another vaccine called Zostavax can protect you from getting shingles. A federal panel of immunization experts suggests that everyone 60 and older receive the vaccine, which reduces the risk of a shingles episode by about 50%. If you do get sick, symptoms are 67% less severe, found a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. Can’t remember if you had chickenpox or not? A simple blood test can tell if you carry antibodies. If you have antibodies and you’re younger than age 60, you don’t need either vaccine. However if you’re 60 or older and you have antibodies, you need the Zostavax vaccine. If you don’t have antibodies and you’re younger than age 60, you need the Varivax vaccine. If you’re 60 or older and you don’t have antibodies, you’re an unusual case. Talk with your doctor about which vaccine is right for you. MORE: New Research Links Shingles To Stroke Risk
Panel Of Advisors
Jules Altman, MD, is a clinical professor of dermatology at Wayne State University in Detroit. James J. Nordlund, MD, is a professor emeritus in the department of dermatology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio. Sota Omoigui, MD, is the medical director of the L.A. Pain Clinic in Hawthorne, California. Leon Robb, MD, is a pain-management specialist, anesthesiologist, and director of the Robb Pain Management Group in Los Angeles, where he treats patients with shingles and conducts research. Cynthia Mervis Watson, MD, is a family practice physician in Santa Monica, California, who specializes in integrated medicine.
