Hi there
Sorry to hear about your husband's Shingles....and yes, the can be quite painful.
Taking a cool bath or using cool, wet compresses on the blisters may help relieve the residual itch and pain.
Over-the counter medications also may help. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen (Aleve), and anti-itch cream or calamine lotion, oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others) can also help.
As far as herbal things go, Lemon Balm has been recognized for helping with Shingles and also other viral lesions such as Herpes.
Also, the fiery ingredient in red pepper, capsaicin, is the hottest thing going for postherpetic neuralgia. Capsaicin brings immediate relief by blocking the pain signals from nerves that are just under the skin. Studies of an ointment containing capsaicin showed such good results that a few years ago, the Food and Drug Administration approved commercial creams such as Zostrix and Capzasin-P, which contain this substance.
If you do decide to go with the Capzasin or the like, if it does not agree with his skin or makes the skin reddened, he needs to discontinue usage as it does not work with everybody but might be worth a try.
Hope this helps!
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Please ask for clarification if needed.
WE hjave tried capsacian -patches for residual pain but they were unsuccessful,
do you have a sugestion for drying up the lesions?
Ok, thanks
Yes, you can have him try Burow's solution....it's a powder that is dissolved in cool water, and can be used to soak the affected skin. This solution soothes the skin and makes the blisters dry up more rapidly. It is available without a prescription.
Yes, it is readily available and available at most Pharmacies or large chain stores (Walmart, Costco, Target, etc). It is relatively inexpensive as well (around $5.00).
Hope he feels better soon!
Nurse
17 years exp. in all areas of nursing including emergency medicine, hospital, and private practice.