How to Treat Shingles Infection

Number Times Read : 92

Stats
Total Articles: 91 Total Authors: 19658 Total Downloads: 650347 Newest Member Lisa Karen

Articledown.com,
"Where the Articles are down at the bottom of the page and there is alot to do."

Advertisement
Untitled Document

Thank You For Visiting Articledown.com - Please Come Back Soon

C & C Tires, Inc.

Jefferson Ga. Arcade Ga. Athens Ga. North Atlanta Ga. Gainesville Ga.

How to Treat Shingles Infection

Category Rss Feed - http://www.articledown.com/rss.php?rss=300

By : Barb Hicks 29 or more times read

Submitted 2009-11-02 06:31:44

Shingles is quite frankly a painful and debilitating ordeal to have endured, especially for the elderly as they are the most commonly affected by this disease. Zoster is commonly treated with antiviral medications that interrupt the diseases ability to replicate as well as lessen the severity and length of time of the outbreak.

Shingles is treated with medications in order to lessen the pain, decrease the duration and inhibit the risk for acquiring severe complications.

Complications:

Cellulitis: A bacterial skin infection that can spread to the blood or lymph nodes, which can be deadly. Postherpetic Neuralgia: A painful condition of the nerve fibers and skin. Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain Hearing loss Visual problems that can be temporary or permanent Facial paralysis Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: Infection of the facial nerve with painful rash and facial muscle weakness.

Shingles is both painful and debilitating or the person affected by the outbreak. However, there are several medications that can be used to assist with alleviating symptoms and making life with shingles more tolerable.

Medications:

Pain medications such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, to decrease pain Antiviral medications such as Acyclovir (Zovirax), Valacyclovir (Valtrex), and Famciclovir (Famvir) Corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone and prednisone taken orally or by injection Topical antibiotics applied to the skin to prevent bacterial infection on open and leaking blisters

Drugs for Postherpetic Neuralgia:

Acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen Antidepressants, such as amitriptyline Analgesics Topical medications, such as a lidocaine patch Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin or pregabalin (Lyrica) Corticosteroids, such as prednisone Nerve block Opioids, such as codeine, oxycodone, and morphine

The Zostavax Vaccine:

In 2006, Zostavax, a chickenpox booster vaccine was licensed to prevent zoster. Research studies conducted on the vaccine showed that it eradicated the infection in 50% of people who were age 60 and older. In addition, the vaccine was found to significantly reduce the severity of the pain associated with this disease. However, those with certain allergies such as gelatin and reactions to certain antibiotics such as neomycin were contraindicated by the vaccine.

Contraindications:

Immune system problems such as HIV/AIDS Drug treatments that affect the immune system such as steroids, radiation, or chemotherapy History of leukemia or lymphoma Active TB Expectant mothers

Pregnancy should not be considered for at least 12 weeks after receiving the Zostavax vaccine. In addition, those who have experienced a recent illness should avoid receiving the booster shot until a full and complete recovery has been made. This tip is especially true for those who experienced a fever during their recent illness.

Any medication comes with the possible risk of side effects and Zostavax is no different.

Mild problems include: Redness, soreness, swelling, or itching at the injection site and headache.

Severe Reactions: Respiratory distress, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, rapid heart rate, and dizziness. These symptoms would manifest within a few hours of being vaccinated.

If you believe you are getting ready to experience a Shingles outbreak, seek the assistance of a medical care professional. Early treatment aids in lessening pain and duration as well as lessening the possibility of experiencing severe complications.

Author Resource:- Barb Hicks is a licensed registered nurse and experience writer who loves to share her experience and knowledge online. She has a classroom at Clivir.com where she provides more information on Shingles Treatments and Shingles Pain Corticosteroids.

Article From Article Down

Related Articles

HTML Ready Article. Click on the "Copy" button to copy into your clipboard.

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN' 'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'><html><head><title>Article Down | How to Treat Shingles Infection</title></head><body><h3>How to Treat Shingles Infection</h3> By: Barb Hicks Shingles is quite frankly a painful and debilitating ordeal to have endured, especially for the elderly as they are the most commonly affected by this disease. Zoster is commonly treated with antiviral medications that interrupt the diseases ability to replicate as well as lessen the severity and length of time of the outbreak. Shingles is treated with medications in order to lessen the pain, decrease the duration and inhibit the risk for acquiring severe complications. Complications: Cellulitis: A bacterial skin infection that can spread to the blood or lymph nodes, which can be deadly. Postherpetic Neuralgia: A painful condition of the nerve fibers and skin. Encephalitis: Inflammation of the brain Hearing loss Visual problems that can be temporary or permanent Facial paralysis Ramsay Hunt Syndrome: Infection of the facial nerve with painful rash and facial muscle weakness. Shingles is both painful and debilitating or the person affected by the outbreak. However, there are several medications that can be used to assist with alleviating symptoms and making life with shingles more tolerable. Medications: Pain medications such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, to decrease pain Antiviral medications such as Acyclovir (Zovirax), Valacyclovir (Valtrex), and Famciclovir (Famvir) Corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone and prednisone taken orally or by injection Topical antibiotics applied to the skin to prevent bacterial infection on open and leaking blisters Drugs for Postherpetic Neuralgia: Acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen Antidepressants, such as amitriptyline Analgesics Topical medications, such as a lidocaine patch Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin or pregabalin (Lyrica) Corticosteroids, such as prednisone Nerve block Opioids, such as codeine, oxycodone, and morphine The Zostavax Vaccine: In 2006, Zostavax, a chickenpox booster vaccine was licensed to prevent zoster. Research studies conducted on the vaccine showed that it eradicated the infection in 50% of people who were age 60 and older. In addition, the vaccine was found to significantly reduce the severity of the pain associated with this disease. However, those with certain allergies such as gelatin and reactions to certain antibiotics such as neomycin were contraindicated by the vaccine. Contraindications: Immune system problems such as HIV/AIDS Drug treatments that affect the immune system such as steroids, radiation, or chemotherapy History of leukemia or lymphoma Active TB Expectant mothers Pregnancy should not be considered for at least 12 weeks after receiving the Zostavax vaccine. In addition, those who have experienced a recent illness should avoid receiving the booster shot until a full and complete recovery has been made. This tip is especially true for those who experienced a fever during their recent illness. Any medication comes with the possible risk of side effects and Zostavax is no different. Mild problems include: Redness, soreness, swelling, or itching at the injection site and headache. Severe Reactions: Respiratory distress, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, rapid heart rate, and dizziness. These symptoms would manifest within a few hours of being vaccinated. If you believe you are getting ready to experience a Shingles outbreak, seek the assistance of a medical care professional. Early treatment aids in lessening pain and duration as well as lessening the possibility of experiencing severe complications. Author Resource:-> Barb Hicks is a licensed registered nurse and experience writer who loves to share her experience and knowledge online. She has a classroom at Clivir.com where she provides more information on <a href="http://www.clivir.com/classrooms/show/what-is-shingles-symptoms-treatment-and-vaccine-information.html">Shingles Treatments</a> and <a href="http://www.clivir.com/lessons/show/shingles-pain-management.html">Shingles Pain Corticosteroids</a>. Article From <a href='http://www.articledown.com/'>Article Down</a> </body></html>

Firefox users please select/copy/paste as usual

Rate This Article
Vote to see the results!

Do you like this article?

New Members
	Sign Up
	learn more
	Start a business online


Nav Menu
	Home
	Login
	Submit Articles
	Submission Guidelines
	Top Articles
	Link Directory
	About Us
	Contact Us
	Privacy Policy
	RSS Feeds

Actions

Print This Article

Add To Favorites