Is Hot or Cold Lotion Good to Relieve the Pain of Shingles?
You may simply prefer to ignore the blisters that occur when you experience shingles. However, others actively seek relief when they are suffering the nerve pain and itchy skin that shingles can cause. Shingles, or herpes zoster, causes pain along the nerve routes because it is a viral infection of the nerves. The blisters that appear are painful and itchy. It takes one or two weeks before the blisters form scabs and fall away.
-
Cold
-
Put a cold, wet cloth on the blisters. The colder the cloth, the better, according to Pathlights.com.
Hot
-
Others find that hot baths or a cornstarch bath (one cup of cornstarch for one tub of water) provides relief. Some shingles sufferers choose to apply apple cider vinegar to the blisters to soothe the pain and itch.
-
Capsaicin
-
Mothernature.com recommends putting capsaicin cream on the blisters. Capsaicin is the ingredient found in hot peppers. It works by stimulating and exhausting substance P, which is the nerve-related transmitter that sends pain messages to your brain and to your skin. Capsaicin can burn the skin, so proceed with caution. Wear gloves when applying it. Use very little. Too much can irritate your skin.
Standard Treatment
-
The standard treatment for shingles is the use of antiviral drugs, such as valacyclovir hydrochloride (brand-name Valtrex, for example). These drugs help ward off postherpetic neuralgia, which is a condition characterized by nerve pain that lingers well after any blisters have disappeared.
Antiviral Drugs
-
Valtrex and other antiviral drugs help speed up the healing process. Some physicians will prescribe topical agents, anticonvulsants, antidepressants and steroids for postherpetic neuralgia.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Dynamic Graphics/Creatas/Getty Images
