Shingles
Treatment and Prevention
Antivirals and Other Medications
Treatment with an antiviral can reduce the severity of the nerve damage and speed healing. If you suspect you have shingles, see your healthcare provider within 72 hours of the first sign of the rash.
A healthcare provider can confirm the diagnosis, prescribe the antiviral pills, and may also prescribe other drugs such as pain relievers. Patients with long-term pain may also be treated with numbing patches, tricyclic antidepressants, and gabapentin, an anti-seizure medication.
While these treatments can reduce the symptoms of shingles, they are not a cure. The antivirals do weaken the virus and its effects, but the outbreak still tends to run its course.
Good hygiene, including daily bathing, can help prevent bacterial infections. It is a good idea to keep fingernails clean and well-trimmed to reduce scratching.
The Shingles Vaccine
In May 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine to prevent shingles in people age 60 and older, even if they have had shingles. The vaccine is designed to boost the immune system and protect older adults from getting shingles later on.
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The vaccine is basically a stronger version of the chickenpox vaccine, which became available in 1995. The chickenpox shot prevents chickenpox in 70 to 90 percent of those vaccinated, and 95 percent of the rest have only mild symptoms. Millions of children and adults have already received the chickenpox shot.
Interestingly, the chickenpox vaccine may reduce the shingles problem. Widespread use of the chickenpox vaccine means that fewer people will get chickenpox in the future. And if people do not get chickenpox, they cannot get shingles. Use of the shingles and chickenpox vaccines may one day make shingles a rare disease.
