Treatments for Shingles

Treatments for Shingles

The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Shingles includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.

• Antiviral drugs
  • Acyclovir
  • Valacyclovir
  • Famcyclovir
• Steroids
• Corticosteroids
• Antidepressants
• Anticonvulsants
• Topical agents
• Pain relief
• Analgesics
• Wet compress - for itching
• Treatment of eye complications:
  • Pupil dilating drugs
  • Antiviral eyedrops
  • Local corticosteroids

Shingles: Is the Diagnosis Correct?

The first step in getting correct treatment is to get a correct diagnosis. Differential diagnosis list for Shingles may include:

• Contact dermatitis
• herpes simplex
• varicella
• erysipelas
• prodromal pain
• more diagnoses...»

Hidden causes of Shingles may be incorrectly diagnosed:

• Varicella-zoster virus
• more causes...»

Shingles: Marketplace Products, Discounts & Offers

Products, offers and promotion categories available for Shingles:

• Senior Health
• Leg Care & Injury
• Knee Care & Injury
• more product offers...»

Shingles: Research Doctors & Specialists

• Senior Health Specialists (Geriatrics):
  • Geriatric Medicine (Senior Health Specialist)
  • Geriatric Psychiatry (Senior Mental Health)
• more specialists...»

Research all specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Drugs and Medications used to treat Shingles:

Note:You must always seek professional medical advice about any prescription drug, OTC drug, medication, treatment or change in treatment plans.

Some of the different medications used in the treatment of Shingles include:

• Acyclovir
• Zovirax
• Famciclovir
• Famvir
• Valacyclovir
• Valtrex
• Varicella virus vaccine
• Varivax
• Avirax
• Acifur
• Alti-Acyclovir
• Apo-Acyclovir
• Gen-Acyclovir
• NuAcyclovir
• Ratio-Acyclovir
• Cicloferon
• Isavir
• Laciken
• Ophthavir

Hospital statistics for Shingles:

These medical statistics relate to hospitals, hospitalization and Shingles:

• 0.027% (3,457) of hospital consultant episodes were for zoster (herpes zoster) in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 79% of hospital consultant episodes for zoster (herpes zoster) required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 41% of hospital consultant episodes for zoster (herpes zoster) were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 59% of hospital consultant episodes for zoster (herpes zoster) were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 76% of hospital consultant episodes for zoster (herpes zoster) required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more hospital information...»

Hospitals & Medical Clinics: Shingles

Research quality ratings and patient incidents/safety measures for hospitals and medical facilities in specialties related to Shingles:

• Senior Health -- Hospital Quality Ratings
• Nursing Homes & Aged Care Facilities -- Quality Ratings
• more hospital ratings...»

Hospital & Clinic quality ratings » »

Choosing the Best Treatment Hospital: More general information, not necessarily in relation to Shingles, on hospital and medical facility performance and surgical care quality:

• 50 Best Hospitals Report
• Women's Health Best Hospitals
• Patient Safety
• Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence Study (2009)

Medical news summaries about treatments for Shingles:

The following medical news items are relevant to treatment of Shingles:

• Chicken pox vaccine may prove effective against shingles as well
• Early treatment of shingles can reduce risk of developing a painful condition
• New drug approved for treatment of nerve damage pain
• Valtrex may be used to treat shingles, genital herpes and cold sores
• More news »

Discussion of treatments for Shingles:

NINDS Shingles Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Treatment for shingles includes antiviral drugs, steroids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and topical agents. The severity and duration of an attack of shingles can be significantly reduced by immediate treatment with the antiviral drugs acyclovir, valacyclovir or famcyclovir. These drugs may also help stave off the painful aftereffects of shingles known as postherpetic neuralgia. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Shingles Information Page: NINDS)

Pain - Hope Through Research: NINDS (Excerpt)

One of the most vexing neurological disorders is shingles or herpes zoster, an infection that often causes agonizing pain resistant to treatment. Prompt treatment with antiviral agents is important to arrest the infection, which if prolonged can result in an associated condition known as postherpetic neuralgia. (Source: excerpt from Pain - Hope Through Research: NINDS)

Skin Care and Aging - Age Page - Health Information: NIA (Excerpt)

If you suspect you have shingles, see a doctor right away. The severity and duration of an attack of shingles can be reduced significantly by immediate treatment with antiviral drugs. These drugs also may help prevent the painful aftereffects of shingles known as postherpetic neuralgia. (Source: excerpt from Skin Care and Aging - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Book Excerpts: Treatment of Shingles

• Treatment - Herpes zoster
• Treatment - Herpes zoster

Treatments of Shingles: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the treatments of Shingles.

Herpes zoster: Treatment
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Antiviral therapy is the mainstay of treatment. Acyclovir seems to stop the rash’s progression and prevent visceral complications. Capsaicin, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and low-dose amitriptyline are the current treatments of choice for postherpetic neuralgia. Topical antiviral ointment is helpful if started early in the disease process.

Herpes zoster can resolve spontaneously and may only require symptomatic treatment, the goal of which is to relieve itching and neuralgic pain with calamine lotion or another antipruritic; aspirin, possibly with codeine or another analgesic; and, occasionally, collodion or compound benzoin tincture applied to unbroken lesions.

If bacteria have infected ruptured vesicles, the treatment plan usually includes an appropriate systemic antibiotic.

Trigeminal zoster with corneal involvement calls for instillation of idoxuridine ointment or another antiviral agent. To help a patient cope with the intractable pain of postherpetic neuralgia, the physician may order systemic corticosteroids — such as cortisone or possibly corticotropin — to reduce inflammation (although their use is controversial). He also may prescribe tranquilizers, sedatives, or tricyclic antidepressants with phenothiazines. In some immunocompromised patients — both children and adults — acyclovir I.V. appears to prevent disseminated, life-threatening disease. High doses of interferon (an antiviral glycoprotein) have been used in patients with cancer when the herpetic lesions are limited to the dermatome.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005

Herpes zoster: Treatment
(Handbook of Diseases)

No specific treatment exists. The primary goal of supportive treatment is to relieve itching and neuralgic pain with calamine lotion or another antipruritic; aspirin, possibly with codeine or another analgesic; and, occasionally, collodion or compound benzoin tincture applied to unbroken lesions.

If bacteria have infected ruptured vesicles, treatment usually includes an appropriate systemic antibiotic.

Trigeminal zoster with corneal involvement necessitates instillation of idoxuridine ointment or another antiviral agent.

To help a patient cope with the intractable pain of postherpetic neuralgia, administer a systemic corticosteroid, such as cortisone or, possibly, corticotropin, to reduce inflammation as well as tranquilizers, sedatives, or tricyclic antidepressants with phenothiazines.

Acyclovir seems to stop progression of the rash and prevent visceral complications. In immunocompromised patients — both children and adults — acyclovir therapy may be administered I.V. The drug appears to prevent disseminated, life-threatening disease in some patients.

Clinical tip  Acyclovir and famciclovir shorten the duration of pain and symptoms in normal adults.

» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »

Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003

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