Treatment For Shingles Rash Uk

Painkilling medication such as paracetamol ibuprofen or codeine.

Treatment for shingles rash uk.

Shingles causes a red rash that forms a band on one side of your body or face. An antiviral medicine does not kill the virus but works by stopping the virus from multiplying. The national institute on. Shingles can cause severe pain so your doctor also may prescribe.

The second most common rash site is the face. To treat the pain of postherpetic neuralgia using an anaesthetic ointment lidocaine 5 before applying a topical analgesic cream capsaicin cream may help. Several antiviral medicines acyclovir valacyclovir and famciclovir are available to treat shingles and shorten the length and severity of the illness. These medicines are most effective if you start taking them as soon as possible after the rash appears.

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. 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. The rash can appear anywhere on your body or in several places. So it may limit the severity of symptoms of the shingles episode.

John s wort oregano oil echinacea lemon balm green tea essential fatty acids. 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. It is important to see a doctor as soon as a person notices the symptoms of shingles. They can also lower your chance of.

Over the counter or prescription medication may be recommended to treat shingles. Antiviral medicines used to treat shingles include aciclovir famciclovir and valaciclovir.