Treatment For Shingles Rash Uk

So it may limit the severity of symptoms of the shingles episode.

Treatment for shingles rash uk. Take paracetamol to ease pain keep the rash clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection wear loose fitting clothing use a cool compress a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel or a wet cloth a few times a day. Several antiviral medicines acyclovir valacyclovir and famciclovir are available to treat shingles and shorten the length and severity of the illness. The second most common rash site is the face. The rash can appear anywhere on your body or in several places.

An antiviral medicine does not kill the virus but works by stopping the virus from multiplying. Shingles causes a red rash that forms a band on one side of your body or face. To treat the pain of postherpetic neuralgia using an anaesthetic ointment lidocaine 5 before applying a topical analgesic cream capsaicin cream may help. These medicines are most effective if you start taking them as soon as possible after the rash appears.

They can also lower your chance of. Shingles can cause severe pain so your doctor also may prescribe. John s wort oregano oil echinacea lemon balm green tea essential fatty acids. Antiviral medications these medicines may slow down the progress of the shingles rash especially if you take them within the first 72 hours of having symptoms.

Painkilling medication such as paracetamol ibuprofen or codeine. Covering the rash with clothing or a non adherent non stick dressing to reduce the risk of other people becoming infected with chickenpox as it s very difficult to pass the virus on to someone else if the rash is covered. Capsaicin topical patch qutenza anticonvulsants such as gabapentin neurontin tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline numbing agents such as lidocaine delivered via a cream gel spray or skin patch medications that. Taking antiviral drugs as early as possible when shingles starts may reduce the risk of getting postherpetic neuralgia and can shorten its duration if it does occur.

The national institute on. It is important to see a doctor as soon as a person notices the symptoms of shingles.