Shingles
Symptoms of Shingles
Since shingles affects the nerves, patients may experience a wide variety of sensations at the affected site, including:
- Shooting pain
- Itching
- Burning
- Numbness
Additional symptoms of the disorder may include headache, fever, fatigue and body aches. The shingles rash usually lasts for several weeks to as much as a month. For most individuals, the pain lessens as the rash heals. Some patients, however, experience long-term nerve pain after a case of shingles, pain which may linger for more than a year.
Diagnosis of Shingles
Shingles is commonly diagnosed through an examination of the rash and a review of the patient's symptoms. If blisters are present at the time of the examination, the doctor may take a sample of fluid for a laboratory culture.
Treatment of Shingles
Treatment of shingles usually consists of the use of analgesics and antiviral medications. Antiviral medications may include:
- Acyclovir (Zovirax)
- Valacyclovir (Valtrex)
- Famciclovir (Famvir)
Since shingles may cause significant pain and discomfort, the following medications may also be recommended to relieve painful symptoms:
- Capsaicin cream
- Lidocaine ointment
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Codeine
- Corticosteroid and local anesthetic injections
While shingles is not a life-threatening disease, it can be extremely painful and interfere greatly with normal activities and quality of life. A shingles vaccine is now available and recommended for individuals age 60 and older. Vaccination should be repeated every five years. While not preventative of the reactivation of the shingles virus in all cases, it has been demonstrated to greatly reduce the risk of an outbreak, as well as to lessen the severity of the disease should it occur.
For more information about Shingles, Call Dr. Janet's office at 917-982-2517