Shingles Pain

Shingles is a form of painful skin rash which is also referred to as "herpes zoster". It is a viral infection which is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is the same virus which is responsible for causing chickenpox. If you had chickenpox in the past, then it is likely that you may get shingles at least once in the later part of life. Once you are infected by this virus, the immune system retains it in dormant state within some nerve cells of the body. When the immune system becomes weak for some reasons, then the virus get reactivated and causes shingles. The most annoying aspect of this infection is the pain as it lasts for quite long time.

Causes and Symptoms

Shingles is more common with people who are above the age of 50 and is rare in small children. Usually, it has been found that shingles affect mostly those people who have a weak immune system. It can be triggered by aging, underlying health problem such as cancer, HIV infection, etc. It can happen as side effects of certain medicines like corticosteroid that tend to suppress the immune system of the body. People undergoing radiation treatment may also get shingles.

The typical symptoms of shingles are localized pain and skin rash. The location of shingles outbreak depends on the nerve which has been infected. The nerves that are connected with the skin of the chest, abdomen and face particularly around the eyes mostly get affected. The pain is the first sign of onset of the shingles. It starts a few days before the rash begins to appear. Its intensity may vary from mild to severe. Some people experience it as a constant dull pain and others complain it as a sudden sharp, stabbing pain that occur intermittently. Besides the pain, there are blistering red rashes that are tender and itchy. Other accompanying symptoms of shingles are chills and fever, nausea and diarrhea.

Treatment

The main aim of the treatment for shingles pain is to provide relief from the painful symptoms as early as possible. Antiviral medicines are prescribed which stop the growth and multiplication of the varicella-zoster virus, the root cause of the infection. It is often combined with a short course of corticosteroid that can bring down the pain and inflammation of the site. This also reduces the chances of further damage to the affected nerve. Non steroid anti-inflammatory medicines may also be prescribed for pain relief. Topical application of calamine lotion may help to reduce the pain and tenderness to some extent. If there is an intense pain and medications like painkillers fails to show sign of relief, then antidepressant and anticonvulsant drugs are recommended.

Home Remedies

There are a number excellent home treatment that can have a soothing effect on the pain from shingles. They are as follows:

Application of Cold: This will have a soothing effect on the painful shingles. Wrap up a few ice cubes in a towel and apply it on the shingles to ease off the burning pain. A cold bath can also provide a temporary relief from the itchiness.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar can be used to stop the pain. Dilute half cup of apple cider vinegar with 2 cups of water. Take a cotton ball, dip it into this prepared solution and apply it over the shingles in upward motion.

Lemon Balm: This is an effective herbal remedy for shingles. It is available in the form of capsules. It should be taken thrice a day along with each meal. For best results, start taking the supplements as soon as you notice the symptoms.

Usually, the shingles pain duration varies four to eight weeks. If there is an extensive damage caused by the virus then it can lead to postherpetic neuralgia where the pain may persist for longer period of time. Elderly people who are above the age of 60 are at a higher risk of developing this serious health complication, therefore precautions for shingles is a must for them. In such cases, pain relieving medicines are not just enough to treat the pain and hence other methods of treatment are also used.