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In Elderly, Shingles Complications Can Be Severe, Lasting
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On Treatment for Shingles
· National Institute on Aging:
Among the medications your doctor may prescribe for severe symptoms are antiviral drugs to fight the virus; steroids to lessen pain and shorten the time you're sick; antidepressants and anticonvulsants to help with pain relief; and analgesics to reduce pain.
"When started within 72 hours of getting the rash, these medicines help shorten the length of the infection and lower the risk of other problems."
On Treatment for PHN
· New York's Beth Israel Medical Center, Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care:
"There are no treatments that reverse the nerve damage caused by shingles . . . [or] improve the healing of the nerves. . . . Each patient with PHN should be tried on a variety of [pain] medications until the drug or combination of drugs is found that gives good pain relief with no or little side effects."
Treatments include a topical lidocaine patch to treat pain; anticonvulsants such as gabapentin (Neurontin) and carbamazepine (Tegretol); tricyclic antidepressants; opioids such as oxycodone, morphine and methadone; and nondrug therapies such as relaxation and biofeedback.
