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How Can Painful Shingles Blisters On The Head, Ear And Neck Be Treated?
Question: Is there anything that can be done to make a patient with shingles of the head, ear and neck more comfortable?
Brief Answer:
Warm compress, calamine, steroids, meds for nerve related pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Shingles are caused by a chicken pox virus (varicella).
(1) It is treated by an antiviral medication. Antiviral meds would treat the virus itself, you may be on one already though not mentioned above. Antibiotics are mentioned but antibiotics would only be useful if itching the area caused a bacterial skin infection along with the viral infection that its already present.
E.g. of antivirals is acyclovir, famciclovir or valacyclovir.
(2) Wet-to-dry dressings of saline (salt) solutions can be applied 4 to 6 times a day for 30 to 60 mins
Calamine can be applied to help deal with any itching that may occur.
(3) A short course of oral steroids can also be helpful in some persons e.g. 5 to 10 days
(4) If there is intense pain then using medication for nerve related pain (called neuralgia) may also be helpful as well eg gabapentin, Lyrica, Tegretol, Amitriptyline.
These meds have different uses including helping with nerve related pain.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Dr. Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
Warm compress, calamine, steroids, meds for nerve related pain.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Shingles are caused by a chicken pox virus (varicella).
(1) It is treated by an antiviral medication. Antiviral meds would treat the virus itself, you may be on one already though not mentioned above. Antibiotics are mentioned but antibiotics would only be useful if itching the area caused a bacterial skin infection along with the viral infection that its already present.
E.g. of antivirals is acyclovir, famciclovir or valacyclovir.
(2) Wet-to-dry dressings of saline (salt) solutions can be applied 4 to 6 times a day for 30 to 60 mins
Calamine can be applied to help deal with any itching that may occur.
(3) A short course of oral steroids can also be helpful in some persons e.g. 5 to 10 days
(4) If there is intense pain then using medication for nerve related pain (called neuralgia) may also be helpful as well eg gabapentin, Lyrica, Tegretol, Amitriptyline.
These meds have different uses including helping with nerve related pain.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Dr. Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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