Herpes Zoster Medicine

Herpes zoster is a very painful virus that causes uncomfortable lesions and blisters on the person’s skin. The herpes zoster virus attacks the central nervous system which is why the condition can be so painful. Medicine is very important to helping treat the herpes zoster virus and keep the person comfortable as the lesions are healing.

What is Herpes Zoster Medicine?

Doctors use different medicines to treat herpes zoster virus when it causes outbreaks of sores and blisters in patients. Antiviral medications such as Valtrex and Zorivax can be helpful if used within the first 3 days of the blisters forming or while new blisters are being formed.

Corticosteroids are also used to treat herpes zoster. They are often used in conjunction with antiviral medications.

Painkillers are also used in treatment of herpes zoster. Pain can be very severe with shingles even after the blisters have crusted and dried and the rash has disappeared.

How Does Medication Treat Shingles?

Herpes zoster medicine works in different ways. Antiviral medicine works to prevent new sores from forming which is why early treatment is helpful. The antiviral medicines do not help much once the blisters have dried and crusted over. They attack the virus when it becomes active and is producing shingles and they kill the virus. This can shorten the time you have shingles and may aid in preventing future occurrences. Once the rash is gone, antiviral medicines should no longer be taken, even if there are still other symptoms of the virus.

Steroids such as prednisone are sometimes used to help with pain associated with shingles. Other methods of easing pain are nerve blocks. Local anesthetic is injected into nerves in the area of the shingles.

How Do Painkillers Help Shingles?

Since shingles can cause flu-like symptoms, painkillers can help ease the discomfort of headache, fever or body aches. The biggest way that painkillers help shingles is because of the painful blisters and lesions that the virus causes on the skin. Also, because the rash usually follows the path of a nerve, the skin around the entire area will be very tender and sore.