Treatments For Nerve Pain From Shingles

For some people shingles pain continues long after the blisters have cleared.

Treatments for nerve pain from shingles.

Quite frequently the earliest symptom of shingles is a burning or tingling sensation on the skin. Roughly 30 to 60 of people over age 60 who get shingles go on to develop a chronic pain syndrome called post herpetic neuralgia. Doctors can help you manage the pain. Acyclovir zovirax valacyclovir valtrex shingles can cause severe pain so your doctor also may prescribe.

The condition affects nerve fibers and skin causing burning pain that lasts long after the rash and blisters of shingles disappear. Generally this pain follows a nerve s path on one side of the body. If you have shingles symptoms get treatment now and you may avoid permanent nerve pain. While antiviral medication is an effective treatment for shingles it s not the only option.

There s no cure for shingles but prompt treatment with prescription antiviral drugs can speed healing and reduce your risk of complications. Shingles causes a painful rash that can be accompanied by fever fatigue and sensitivity to light. Capsaicin topical patch qutenza. Shingles itself comes from reactivation of a chickenpox virus varicella zoster.

The virus travels down nerve fibers to cause a painful skin rash. While a painful itchy blistering rash is the main characteristic of shingles this nerve pain may precede its appearance. This condition is known as postherpetic neuralgia and it occurs when damaged nerve fibers send confused and exaggerated messages of pain from your skin to your brain. There s no cure but treatments can ease symptoms.

Shingles a viral infection of the nerve roots affects 1 million people in the u s each year. It s called postherpetic neuralgia. The chickenpox herpes zoster virus causes shingles. The risk of postherpetic neuralgia increases with age primarily affecting people older than 60.

When the rash goes away the pain usually goes.