Content

• Steps
• Advice

Shingles (shingles) is an infection of the skin and can cause a blistering rash. Disease caused by a virus called varicella zoster, this virus is also the culprit causing chickenpox. If you've ever had chickenpox, you are more likely to get shingles later. There is no cure for shingles, but you can get regular medication and care from your doctor.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Managing Disease Outbreaks

1. 

   Symptom awareness. Shingles usually begins with pain, itching, burning, numbness, and / or tingling for 1 to 5 days. After that, the patient will develop a rash. In people with normal immune systems, the rash will usually appear as a single, long red streak on one side of the body or on the face. People with weak immune systems may experience a rash all over the body.
   • Other symptoms include fever, headache, sensitivity to light and touch, exhaustion, and abdominal pain.
   • The rash becomes blistering and scaly in about 7-10 days. The shingles will last 2 - 6 weeks.

2. 

   
   
   Seek immediate medical treatment. You should see a doctor as soon as a rash appears. It's best to see the doctor within 3 days (sooner if you have a rash on the face). Doctor can diagnose and plan treatment in time. Early treatment can cause the blisters to dry more quickly and reduce the pain.
   • You can treat shingles at home. You do not need to be hospitalized.
   • Most people will only experience shingles once, but it is also possible that you will experience the disease 2 or 3 more in the future.

3. 

   
   
   Use home remedies. During the infection, you should wear loose clothing made of natural fabrics, get plenty of rest, and eat healthy. You can also take a bath with a little oatmeal or use calamine lotion to soothe your skin.
   • Wear silk or cotton clothes instead of wool or acrylic.
   • Add a handful of fresh or gelatinous oats in the bath water to soothe your skin. You can also find oatmeal shower gel to add it to your bath.
   • Apply calorie lotion after bathing, while skin is still damp.

4. 

   
   
   Reduce stress. Stress can make you feel more pain with shingles. Try to stop thinking about the pain by doing other activities that you enjoy like reading, listening to music, or chatting with friends or family. Stress also triggers an outbreak, so try to do everything you can to avoid stressing yourself.
   • Meditation and deep breathing techniques will help reduce stress during the illness, and help relieve pain.
   • You can meditate by repeating soothing thoughts or words in your mind to avoid being distracted.
   • You should also use guided meditation while meditating, where you focus on thinking about images or places where you relax. In the process of visualizing, incorporate more scents, sights, and sounds. Asking others to guide you through the process will also be helpful.
   • Tai chi and yoga are also ways to reduce stress. Both types of activities require a combination of specific postures and deep breathing exercises.

5. 

   Take antiviral medication. Your doctor will usually prescribe valacyclovir (Valtrex), acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famciclovir STADA), or another similar drug to treat shingles. Take your medication as prescribed by your doctor and pharmacist, and talk about possible side effects or reactions to other medications you are taking.
   • You should take the pills as soon as possible for them to work. This is also the reason why you should see a doctor as soon as a rash appears.

6. 

   Take a pain reliever. The pain that you experience while you are infected may be short, but quite severe. Depending on the severity of pain and your medical history, your doctor will prescribe a few medications that contain codeine for you, or medications that help manage long-term pain such as anticonvulsants.
   • Or your doctor will prescribe a few medications, such as lidocaine. It can be used in the form of creams, gels, sprays, or patches.
   • Your doctor may also give you an injection of corticosteroid or a local anesthetic to control pain.
   • Prescription capsaicin cream, which contains the active ingredient in chili peppers, will also help control the pain when you apply it to the rash.

7. 

   Keeps skin clean and cool. You can take a cold shower while you are experiencing shingles or apply cold compresses to blisters and blisters. Keep skin clean by using cold water and mild soaps to prevent further irritation or inflammation.
   • Take a shower with mild soaps like Dove, Olay, Johnson's, and more.
   • You can mix 2 teaspoons of salt tea in 1 liter of cool water and use a washcloth to apply the solution to the blister or rash. This will help soothe any itch you are experiencing.
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Method 2 of 2: Coping with the Complications of Shingles

1. 

   Recognize nerve pain after shingles. One in five people with shingles will develop post-shingles nerve pain (PHN). You can also have this condition if you experience extreme pain in the same place where you had shingles before. PHN will last for weeks or months. Many people are likely to experience symptoms for many years.
   • The older you are, the higher your chance of getting PHN.
   • If you feel pain when something touches your skin (e.g. clothes, wind, people), you may have PHN.
   • If you don't get treated early, you can also get PHN more easily.

2. 

   Be careful before complications. Although PHN is the most common complication, you are also likely to have other illnesses such as pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, encephalitis, or death. Scarring, skin infection, and muscle failure can also be complications of shingles.

3. 

   Seek medical treatment. If you think you have PHN or other shingles complications, you should see your doctor. Your doctor can develop the right treatment plan to help you manage complications. Your treatment plan will focus on managing your chronic pain.
   • Treatment will include topical medications such as lidocaine, anesthetics such as oxycodone, anticonvulsants such as gabapentin (Neurontin) or pregabalin (Lyrica), or the use of psychological interventions.
   • Many people are more likely to experience depression or other mental health issues when dealing with chronic pain. Your doctor will either prescribe an antidepressant or ask you to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy. This therapy will include relaxation techniques or hypnosis. Both of these techniques are effective in managing chronic pain.

4. 

   Get a shingles vaccine. If you are over 60 years old, you should get this vaccine. Even if you have had the disease in the past, you should still get vaccinated to prevent it. You can get the shot at your doctor's office or hospital.
   • The shingles vaccine will usually be covered by health insurance if you have insurance.
   • You should wait until the rash has disappeared before getting vaccinated. Consult with your doctor to determine the best time to administer the vaccination.

5. 

   Take care of your overall health. Living with shingles means any can cause flare-ups, including stress, a weakened immune system, inadequate nutrition, and exhaustion. While vaccination is the only way to prevent disease, having overall well-being can help you avoid infection and recover more quickly.
   • Eat healthy and provide your body with enough vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
   • Get regular exercise and adequate rest.
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Advice

• Seek help from people who have had shingles. Every year, about 1 million people get shingles in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates. Approximately 50% of cases are people who are at least 60 years old. In Vietnam, the number of people infected with shingles increases from 1.5% - 3% per year. You can check out the list of support groups in your community or online in your city.
• Don't scratch the blister or scratch the skin during the course of the illness as it will only make the pain and shingles worse.
• Avoid contact with people who have never had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine.Shingles is not contagious, but during the course of the infection you can pass the chickenpox germ to children or adults who have never been infected or have not been vaccinated against the varicella virus.