Shingles - from simple ailments and brain injury - Treatment

Treatment

Shingles - a disease that must be treated and observed the doctor, as it is fraught with complications.

Treatment of shingles involves the implementation of three main tasks:

• Treatment of acute viral infection;
• Treatment of severe pain caused by shingles;
• Prevention of post-herpetic neuralgia.

For these purposes apply antivirals, oral corticosteroids, and various anesthetics.

Prior to joining the doctor if there is severe pain along the nerve, you can take painkillers and sedatives to try to sleep. You can also take an antihistamine, such as suprastin that will remove swelling and reduce pain.

You can lubricate the bubbles appear green paint to prevent disease-causing bacteria and to fester.

There are also drugs that act directly on the chickenpox virus, such as acyclovir. But these drugs have contraindications to their use, so they can only appoint a doctor.

Antivirals

Admission antiviral drugs accelerates the recovery of patients with herpes zoster (or, at least, reduce the length of time during which the patient has visible symptoms of the disease), and reduces the pain caused by this disorder. However, this effect is achieved only in those cases when the patient begins to antiviral drugs be taken for 72 hours after rash onset. These preparations may be useful as long as there are new papules and vesicles, but after a crust is formed on the skin, their reception, likely will not give any results.

One used in the treatment of herpes zoster medications - acyclovir Acyclovir - as it is safe? Which relates to inhibitors of DNA polymerase. It can be taken orally or injected intravenously. The main drawbacks of oral acyclovir is its low bioavailability compared with other drugs and the need for frequent drug administration (5 times a day). However, intravenous acyclovir is usually given only to patients who for any reason can not take oral medications, or those whose immune system is significantly weakened.

Valaciclovir - a drug which is converted in the body to acyclovir - taken three times a day. Compared with acyclovir, valacyclovir more effectively eases the pain caused by shingles, and also reduces the duration of post-herpetic neuralgia Neuralgia - the scourge of the elderly . Additionally, valaciclovir has a higher than acyclovir bioavailability. When taken orally, the drug level of active substance in the blood comparable to that of acyclovir after its intravenous administration.

Famciclovir is also an inhibitor of DNA polymerase. Famciclovir advantages are that it is sufficient to take three times a day, it is longer than acyclovir, the intracellular half-life and higher bioavailability than acyclovir and valaciclovir.

Selection in favor of a particular antiviral drug is carried out based on the individual characteristics of the patient, costs, and other factors. Below are the standard dosing regimens to acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir.

• Acyclovir (Zovirax): 800 mg orally five times a day, for a period of 7 to 10 days, or 10 mg per kilogram of body weight intravenously every 8 hours for a period of 7 to 10 days.
• Famciclovir (Famvir): 500 mg orally three times a day for 7 days.
• Valacyclovir (Valtrex): 1000 mg orally three times a day for 7 days.

In most cases, these drugs are tolerated very well. Their most common side effects are nausea, vomiting, headaches and abdominal pain Abdominal pain: Types and Symptoms .

Corticosteroids

In the treatment of shingles are widely used corticosteroids, although clinical tests give conflicting results about their effectiveness in the treatment of this disorder. Prednisone, which refers to glucocorticosteroids, in combination with acyclovir reduces pain effectively. Some studies have shown that by means of prednisone can prevent the development of post-herpetic neuralgia, but other studies failed to obtain the same result.

In any case, if the patient has no contraindications to oral administration of prednisone, use of the drug together with antiviral agents justified even if only because of the fact that it can greatly attenuate pain.

Since there is a possibility that corticosteroids can suppress the immune system, some researchers believe that they should be prescribed only to patients over the age of 50 years - their likelihood of developing postherpetic neuralgia is particularly great.

Standard dosing regimen prednisone 30 mg orally twice a day 1 to day 7, then 15 mg twice a day from the 8th to the 14th day, and then 7, 5 mg twice a day with 15 to 21 days.

Analgesics

Shingles Ringworm - not only infectious disease   It can cause a wide range of pain - from mild to unbearable pain. Many patients suffering from mild to moderately severe pain, well help non-prescription painkillers. When severe pain may need opioid analgesics, which are sold only by prescription. Any analgesics with shingles is recommended to be taken regularly, not as necessary - it will help to better control the pain.

For anesthesia may also be used lotions containing calamine, and after a crust is formed on the skin - capsaicin ointment. Topical application of lidocaine is also effective pain relief.

Treatment of herpes zoster with eye complications

Where zoster ocular causes complications for treatment using the same antivirals and corticosteroids. In most cases, the disease is no serious health consequences, but sometimes it can lead to serious complications, including - to loss of vision. Therefore, if the shingles caused ocular complications, it is recommended as soon as possible consult an ophthalmologist.

Prevention

Prevention of this disease can be any form of hardening and increase the body's resistance. In old age, when the herpes zoster most often affects people, the best prevention is active motor mode and maximum exposure to fresh air.