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Shingles - Home Treatment

You may reduce the duration and pain of shingles by:

  • Taking good care of skin sores.
    • Avoid picking at and scratching blisters. If left alone, blisters will crust over and fall off naturally.
    • Use cool, moist compresses if they help ease discomfort. Lotions, such as calamine, may be applied after wet compresses.
    • Apply cornstarch or baking soda to help dry the sores so that they heal more quickly.
    • Soak crusted sores with tap water or Burow's solution to help clean away crusts, decrease oozing, and dry and soothe the skin.
    • Ask your doctor about using topical creams to help relieve the inflammation caused by shingles.
    • If your skin becomes infected, ask your doctor about prescription antibiotic creams or ointments.
  • Using medicines 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 medicines, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain during an attack of shingles or pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia. If you are already taking a prescription pain medicine, talk to your doctor before using any over-the-counter pain medicine. Some prescription pain medicines have acetaminophen (Tylenol), and getting too much acetaminophen can be harmful.

If home treatment doesn't help with pain, talk to your doctor. Getting your pain under control right away may prevent nerve damage that may cause pain that lasts for months or years.

Recommended Related to Shingles

Shingles: Are You Risking Nerve Pain?

Shingles, a viral infection of the nerve roots, affects 500,000 people in the U.S each year. Most people recover from their bout, but for as many as 20%-30% of them, the pain doesn't go away. It can last for months, years, or even the rest of their lives. These people have what's called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the result when the shingles virus damages the nerves of the skin. In some cases, the pain is mild. In others, even the slightest touch -- from clothing or even a breeze -- can be...

Read the Shingles: Are You Risking Nerve Pain? article > >

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WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: May 27, 2011
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.

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