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Suggest Treatment For Shingles
Question: My mother has shingles on the right side of her face.
She has had this for over a year.
May you suggest anything which would ease the itching which annoys her and anything which may cure her shingles ?
She has had this for over a year.
May you suggest anything which would ease the itching which annoys her and anything which may cure her shingles ?
Brief Answer:
Post-Herpetic Neuragia (PHN)
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic
I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your concern and I have understood it.
I would keep a possibility of Post-Herpetc Neuralgia (PHN) which is defined as pain persisting more than 1 month after herpes Zoster/shingles. Shingles is characterized by painful, fluid filled vesicles, usually localized to a particular area only. The lesions usually resolve within a week or 10 days, however individuals can continue to have pains, burning, stinging and stabbing sensations, long after the episode of shingles has healed. This is known as Post-Herpetc Neuralgia (PHN).
This is a very common complication in older age group, not so very common in young population
The pain is due to inflammation and scarring of nerves affected by the episode of shingles. Treatment is effective but sometimes can lasts months or years, specially in old age group of patients:
Treatment options are:
-NSAIDS
-Tricyclic antidepressants(Amytriptyline, nortriptyline)
-Gapapentin/Pregabalin
-Carbamazepine
-Topical Capsaicin gel/cream
-Topical Lidocaine gel/cream
I usually treat my patients with a tricyclic antidepressant once daily at night along with Gabapentin 300mg twice or thrice daily. The dose of tricyclic antidepressant can be increased to twiec daily OR thrice daily depending on the response. An oral Vit B12 Methylcobalamine in doses of 500 mcg to 750 mcg is also useful for neuralgic pains.
i would advice consultation with a dermatologist and work out the best treatment options for you.
regards
Post-Herpetic Neuragia (PHN)
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to healthcaremagic
I am Dr. Kakkar. I have gone through your concern and I have understood it.
I would keep a possibility of Post-Herpetc Neuralgia (PHN) which is defined as pain persisting more than 1 month after herpes Zoster/shingles. Shingles is characterized by painful, fluid filled vesicles, usually localized to a particular area only. The lesions usually resolve within a week or 10 days, however individuals can continue to have pains, burning, stinging and stabbing sensations, long after the episode of shingles has healed. This is known as Post-Herpetc Neuralgia (PHN).
This is a very common complication in older age group, not so very common in young population
The pain is due to inflammation and scarring of nerves affected by the episode of shingles. Treatment is effective but sometimes can lasts months or years, specially in old age group of patients:
Treatment options are:
-NSAIDS
-Tricyclic antidepressants(Amytriptyline, nortriptyline)
-Gapapentin/Pregabalin
-Carbamazepine
-Topical Capsaicin gel/cream
-Topical Lidocaine gel/cream
I usually treat my patients with a tricyclic antidepressant once daily at night along with Gabapentin 300mg twice or thrice daily. The dose of tricyclic antidepressant can be increased to twiec daily OR thrice daily depending on the response. An oral Vit B12 Methylcobalamine in doses of 500 mcg to 750 mcg is also useful for neuralgic pains.
i would advice consultation with a dermatologist and work out the best treatment options for you.
regards
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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