AfterShingles.com – Shingles Symptoms, Treatment and Pain Management


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Experts Corner

Q & A Archive

What is the treatment for shingles?

Antiviral medications are one of the most commonly prescribed medications to treat shingles. Early treatment with one of these drugs – ideally within 72 hours of the rash appearing – can decrease both the duration of shingles outbreak and intensity1. One or more pain killers may be prescribed to treat the pain of shingles.

A shingles vaccine was approved by the FDA in 2006 and is currently recommended by the CDC for adults age 60 and older in the U.S 2. Contact your healthcare professional to see if you are a candidate for the vaccine.

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The PHN Pain Checklist and PHN Pain Management Calendar are tools you can use to help you talk about your pain with your healthcare professional.

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Do you have the facts to identify if you or your loved one suffers from shingles or postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)?

1
Cure PHN: Your Questions Answered. VZV Research Foundation, Inc. 2004: 1-6. Available at: http://www.vzvfoundation.org/publicdownloads/PHN_Brochure_Feb2004.pdf. Accessed April 6, 2009.
2
Shingles Vaccine: What You Need to Know. Department of Health and Human Services: Centers for Disease Control. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-shingles.pdf. Accessed February 20, 2009.