The first step to treating shingles is getting an appropriate diagnosis from a physician. Since a lot of the early signs of shingles are completely analogous to the early signs caused by other viral diseases and problems, diagnosis can be quite difficult. However, the rash caused by shingles is very distinct, and will appear after a couple of days. When a physician sees this rash, he or she will instantly be able to diagnose you with shingles, and can prescribe you effective treatment.
Treatment in general of shingles has several different aims. These aims include to limit the duration and intenseness of the pain involved, to make the shingles go away more quickly, and to reduce further complications that can occur like postherpetic neuralgia. Postherpetic neuralgia is in fact very rare in younger sufferers of shingles, with persistent pain being reported in only a very small minority of cases. Even in older people unfortunate enough to suffer from shingles, within a year of the problem fading, almost all pain is gone except in very rare cases.
Painkillers are often prescribed, with different ones being chosen depending upon how intense the pain is. For mild to moderate pain, over the counter drugs can provide sufficient relief for the duration of the suffering. For more intense pain, a doctor may need to prescribe more serious opioid drugs such as morphine. Creams can be used on crusted sores, with many being available on the market. If postherpetic neuralgia seems to be occurring, it can be useful to take antiviral drugs alongside any painkillers.
Taking specific antiviral drugs right from the start of the problem can be an effective method of treatment. These antiviral drugs help inhibit the replication of the varicella zoster virus that causes shingles. This treatment is especially important in older individuals, and should be started within three days of the appearance of the rash. Although using these antiviral drugs cannot always reliably prevent postherpetic neuralgia, they do help make the shingles episode shorter and more controllable.
Orally taken steroids and steroid creams can sometimes help with the problems caused by shingles, bringing effective pain relief and an improved quality of life to sufferers. These steroids are especially effective in older people, speeding up the healing process and allowing people to recover more quickly. However, steroids do come with side effects, and these should be taken into account before use. If you are concerned about the side effects, consult your physician for advice.
Bacterial infection can sometimes occur as a side product of the shingles illness. This is treated most effectively using antibiotics that can help with the pain caused, controlling the infection. These antibiotics can come in oral form, or in the form of a cream that can be rubbed onto the afflicted areas.
Shingles is a serious illness, however with all the methods of treatment highlighted above, you will quickly be on the road to recovery should you ever become affected.