What are the treatments for shingles (Part 2 of 2)

As a general rule, the following groups of people who develop shingles will normally be advised to take an antiviral drug:
* If you are over the age of 50. The older you are, the more risk there is of severe shingles or complications developing, and the more likely you are to benefit from treatment.
* If you are of any age and have any of the following:
* Shingles that affects the eye or ear.
* A poorly functioning immune system (see later who this includes).
* Shingles that affects any parts of the body apart from the trunk (that is,
shingles affecting an arm, leg, neck, or genital area). * Moderate or severe pain. * Moderate or severe rash. If prescribed, a course of an antiviral drug normally lasts seven days. Antidepressant and anticonvulsant drugs If the pain during an episode of shingles is severe, or if you develop postherpetic neuralgia, you may be advised to take:
* An antidepressant drug in the tricyclic group. An antidepressant is not used here to treat depression. Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, imipramine, and nortriptyline ease neuralgia (nerve pain) separate to their action on depression.
OR:
* An anticonvulsant drug such as gabapentin. They also ease neuralgic pain separate to their action to control convulsions.
If an antidepressant or anticonvulsant is advised, you should take it regularly as prescribed.
It may take up to two or more weeks for it to become fully effective to ease pain. In addition to easing pain during an episode of shingles, they may also help to prevent postherpetic neuralgia.
Steroid medication
Steroids help to reduce inflammation. A short course of steroid tablets (prednisolone) may be considered in addition to antiviral medication. This may help to reduce pain and speed healing of the rash. However, the use of steroids in shingles is is controversial. Your doctor will advise. Steroids do not prevent postherpetic neuralgia.