Shingles is a painful and irritating skin rash with no known cure. But luckily there are some things that can be done both at home and with the help of a medical professional to provide treatment.
Home Treatment for Shingles
The best treatment for shingles involves treating the skin sores themselves by:
- Not scratching or picking at the sores. This allows them to crust over and fall off themselves.
- Using a cold, wet towel with light compression to ease the burning sensation often brought on by shingles.
- Applying cornstarch or baking soda, which can help to dry out the sores so they crust over more quickly.
- Soaking the crusted sores in water or Burow’s solution to help to keep them clean and ward off infection.
- Using over-the-counter medicine, such as ibuprofen, to reduce the pain from shingles.
Professional Treatment
As with most things, the best treatment for shingles will come with the assistance of a medical professional. Some recommended treatments include:
- Antiviral medicines
- Pain medication
- Antidepressants
- Topical creams
- Antibiotics
Severe cases of shingles may require more aggressive treatment such as corticosteroids.
Alternative treatment
While there is not a lot of evidence to support their effectiveness, there are some alternative forms of treatment for shingles. These can include acupuncture, biofeedback and a type of electrical therapy known as TENS.
Prevention
In addition to there being a number of different treatments for shingles, there are also a few ways to help prevent it in the first place.
Shingles vaccines known as Zostavax or varicella can help prevent shingles or make it less painful if it does come about.
Singles is related to chickenpox, so if you have never had chickenpox, avoid coming into close contact with anyone who has shingles.
Don’t suffer from shingles any longer. Visit FastMed Urgent Care today, and find relief through our team of medical professionals.
At FastMed Urgent Care, our mission is to positively impact the lives of our patients and their families. Find a FastMed near you!
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Sources:
Medical Dictionary: https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Burowsolution
Medicine Net: http://www.medicinenet.com/corticosteroids-oral/article.htm
Patient Info: http://patient.info/health/tens-machines-leaflet