I hope yesterday’s article was interesting, because today I’m going to tell you how to prepare for your provider’s appointment, the tests you will have to go through in order for your provider appropriately diagnose your condition, treatment and drugs, lifestyle and home remedies, and prevention. This information will help many of my readers that have had chickenpox. The varicella virus will not attack you unless you come in contact with someone with chickenpox, or if you touch the fluid from the blisters without washing your hands. Let’s go on with the Mayo Clinic’s Staff’s recommendations for preparing for your provider’s appointment.
Preparing for your appointment
Some people have such mild symptoms of shingles that they don’t seek medical treatment. Severe symptoms may result in a visit to the emergency room.
What you can do
You may want to write a list that includes:
- A detailed description of your symptoms
- Information about your medical problems, past and present
- Information about the medical problems of your parents or siblings
- All the medications and dietary supplements you take
- Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor will examine your rash and ask questions about your general health and when these symptoms began.
Tests and diagnosis
Shingles is usually diagnosed based on the history of pain on one side of your body, along with the telltale rash and blisters. Your doctor may also take a tissue scraping or culture of the blisters for examination in the laboratory.
Treatments and drugs
An episode of shingles usually heals on its own within a few weeks, but prompt treatment can ease pain, speed healing and reduce your risk of complications.
Antiviral drugs
For best results, start these medications within 72 hours of the first sign of the shingles rash. Oral antiviral medications include:
- Acyclovir (Zovirax)
- Valacyclovir (Valtrex)
- Famciclovir (Famvir)
Drugs for the pain
Shingles can cause severe pain, so you may need prescription medications for treatment. They may include:
- Narcotics, such as oxycodone
- Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline
- Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin (Neurontin)
- Numbing agents, such as lidocaine, delivered via a cream, gel, spray or skin patch
Lifestyle and home remedies
Depending on your level of pain, you might not feel like doing much, and you may feel weak and tired. If this is the case, be sure to listen to your body — get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous activities while you’re recuperating.
Also, avoid stress, which can worsen pain. Relaxation techniques, including listening to music or doing tai chi, might help. To take your mind off the pain, try doing other activities, such as reading a book, watching a movie or working on a hobby.
Taking a cool bath or using cool, wet compresses on your blisters may help relieve the itch and pain.
Over-the counter medications also may help. Examples include:
- Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen (Aleve)
- Anti-itch cream or calamine lotion
- Oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others)
Prevention
Two vaccines may help prevent shingles — the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine and the shingles (varicella-zoster) vaccine.
Chickenpox vaccine
The varicella vaccine (Varivax) has become a routine childhood immunization to prevent chickenpox. The vaccine is also recommended for adults who’ve never had chickenpox. Though the vaccine doesn’t guarantee you won’t get chickenpox or shingles, it can reduce your chances of complications and reduce the severity of the disease.
Shingles vaccine
The varicella-zoster vaccine (Zostavax) can help prevent shingles in adults age 60 and older who’ve had chickenpox. Like the chickenpox vaccine, the shingles vaccine doesn’t guarantee you won’t get shingles. But this live vaccine will likely reduce the course and severity of the disease and reduce your risk of postherpetic neuralgia.
The shingles vaccine is recommended for all adults age 60 and older, whether or not they have had shingles previously. The shingles vaccine is used only as a prevention strategy, however. It’s not intended to treat people who currently have the disease.
This shingles vaccine isn’t recommended if you:
- Have ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin, the antibiotic neomycin or any other component of the shingles vaccine
- Have a weakened immune system from HIV/AIDS or another disease that affects your immune system
- Are receiving medical treatments such as steroids, radiation and chemotherapy
- Have a history of bone marrow or lymphatic cancer
This information is intended to educate you about a viral infection that could cause a very painful chronic condition in post herpetic neuralgia. People with this complication can be in pain every day. We need to take this information seriously. If you have symptoms of Shingles, please see your provider as soon as possible to prevent post herpetic neuralgia from setting in. Don’t be afraid to ask your provider for the Shingles vaccine unless you have any of the above conditions that would inhibit you from receiving it. If you have post herpetic neuralgia, please let your provider know so you can receive proper pain relief as identified above. Everybody’s body is different. If your pain is not relieved by the medicine prescribed by your provider, ask for a consult to the Pain Clinic. Just don’t sit home, suffer in silence, and make life difficult for yourself and your loved ones.
