Shingles Treatment And Care

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Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 08 Apr 2007 - 2:00 PST


Shingles is in a condition that is more common in those over the age of 50 and men and women are at equal risk. There is no cure for shingles but treatment can help shorten the length of the illness and prevent complications such as postherpetic neuralgia. These treatments include:

-- Natural healing formula products
-- Antiviral medications sometimes in combination with
-- Corticosteroids (to reduce the pain and duration of shingles)
-- Pain medications
-- Antidepressants
-- Topical creams to relieve long-term pain.

Because so many sufferers with shingles are elderly, they often need special attention and care. If you are helping to care for someone with shingles, here are some ideas to make life more comfortable for them:

-- As soon as the rash appears and has been diagnosed as shingles, start treatment. If started with 2 to 3 days of the outbreak, the shingles will be less severe.
-- You cannot catch shingles by touching the sore skin or the bed or chair where the person has been lying or sitting so if wearing less clothing will make the patent more comfortable, encourage this. Some people with shingles are very sensitive to touch so try to touch only that side of the body unaffected by the rash.
-- You can catch chicken pox from a person with shingles blisters so keep anyone vulnerable away from the patient.
-- Relieve any discomfort with cool compresses unless your patient finds it makes the pain worse.
-- Look for ways to relieve the stress of the pain for your patient such as meditation or listening to soothing music.
-- Make sure your patient has a pain reliever if necessary and you may need a prescription for something to help insomnia if this is a problem. Your patient needs as much sleep as possible.
-- Constant pain can affect your patient's appetite - try to encourage your patient to eat well (you may need to provide extra tasty treats).
-- Constant pain can also make your patient cross, sad or depressed - this will need extra patience or kindness.

Most cases of shingles are over in about a month, so with your care and attention, your patient's life (as well as your own) can get back to normal in that time. Within one year of the rash, the majority of people will have very little or no pain at all.

Amoils offers all natural treatments for common afflictions and ailments using essential oils. Visit our Shingles page for more information.

www.amoils.com
Copyright: Medical News Today
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