Every Day Self-Management for Shingles
Patients
As stated previously, having shingles can
be extremely painful as well as hard to manage, especially on one’s own.
When a shingles outbreak occurs, one can experience not only the blisters
and rashes but also headaches, migraines, fever and nausea. Along the
outbreak site, patients may also experience tingling, burning, sharp pains or
even an itching sensation. All of this is hard to manage even with help,
so trying to manage it on one's own can indeed be difficult. Having the
right information on how to care for each symptom, however, can make it better
and more manageable. Here is a list of the possible side effects from a
shingles outbreak and how you can treat them.
Blisters/Rashes
Applying cool tap-water
compresses for 20 minute intervals several times a day on blisters can help dry
the blisters. This will also help to remove the scabs and any bacterial
infections that would otherwise occur. Keeping the area clean with soap
and water is a good way to limit the chances of infection as well and applying
vaseline can help the healing process as well. Applying cornstarch,
baking soda, or any topical antibiotic prescribed by the doctor can aid in the
healing process and limit the pain as well.
Migraines/Headaches
At the first sign of
a headache, it is always best to drink water and try ibuprofen. This
limits the possibility of it turning into a migraine later. However, if
you do experience a migraine, over the counter medicines such as Excedrin
Migraine or Excedrin Extra Strength, or even mixing one Excedrin Migraine and
one Aleve will help to relieve the migraine tension. There are also a
number of prescription migraine medications such as Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, and
Naproxen Sodium to name just a few. Be sure to check with your treating
physician before taking a prescribed migraine medication if you are already
taking another medication for shingles.
Sharp Pains/Tingles
There are antiviral
medications that will help limit the pain such as acyclovir, famciclovir, or
valacyclovir. These must be prescribed by your regular treating physician
but will also reduce the duration of the shingles outbreak. You can also
use ibuprofen, tylenol or any over the counter medication to reduce the pain
sensations. While taking these medications, make sure to read the labels
carefully and pay attention to the frequency and dosages.
Nausea
There are several over the
counter medications for nausea as well including pepto bismol, emetrol, zantac,
and McKesson's anti-nausea oral liquid medication. There are also
prescription medications for nausea like Zofran or Tigan Intramuscular among
many others. These may be useful if you are experiencing nausea
frequently and are unable to continue with daily activities due to the
sickness.
Other helpful tips:
Try to wear as loose of clothing as
possible to keep the fabric from sticking to the blisters and sores. When
the fabric sticks to the dry blisters, it will cause them to rip off and become
even more painful. Clothing that rubs against the blisters or rash will
also cause a painful sensation even if it does not cause the blisters to rip or
peel prematurely. Do not scratch the area where the rash is.
Instead, try applying a topical ointment to keep the itching to a
minimum. A topical benedryl or lidocaine should help. Be sure to
see your doctor within the first 48 hours of an onset of a rash. Early
treatment can greatly reduce the symptoms as well as the possibility of
complications later on.
For more information on helpful treatment strategies, please see any of the following websites:
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