You may reduce the duration and pain of shingles by:

• Taking good care of skin sores, such as not scratching blisters and keeping your skin clean.
• Using medications as prescribed to treat shingles or postherpetic neuralgia, which is pain that lasts for at least 30 days after the shingles rash heals.
• Using nonprescription pain medications, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain during an attack of shingles or ongoing pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia.

If home treatment does not reduce postherpetic neuralgia pain, talk with your health professional about what you can do to control the pain.