Shingles disease is often known as Zoster or Herpes zoster. It’s a condition in which painful blisters develop and show up on the skin. The root cause is the same virus that results in chicken pox. This virus is the “varicella zoster virus” or VZV. If you’ve had chicken pox as a child, then you are at a higher risk for developing shingles later in life.
This is because when a child contracts the chicken pox, he or she is left with a trace amount of varicella zoster virus. This virus lingers in the body for years until the immune system is ravaged by an autoimmune disorder, an immune deficiency, or the basic effects of aging. At that point, there is a stronger likelihood that VZV will return as shingles.
To find out more about the Shingles disorder, including how to identify the symptoms of the disease and prevent its spread, read on.
Shingles Symptoms and Signs
Common symptoms associated with Shingles includes a fever that generally lasts about four to five days. This may be accompanied by a headache. Patients will also experience a marked decline in their energy levels and possible digestive problems. Additionally, chills can accompany the aches and pains. Other than the itching and the rash and blisters that will eventually develop, the symptoms are very similar to the flu.
Eventually, the patient will develop small and painful blisters on the skin. These will usually extend from the spine to the chest and are the most common and visible symptom of the malaise.
Why It’s Important to Treat Shingles
Shingles and the VZV can directly affect the nervous system leading to issues and other medical problems throughout the body. It’s critical to seek treatment swiftly before the disease progresses.
People at Risk for Developing Shingles
The people who have the highest risk levels for developing Shingles are those who had chicken pox as children. Primarily, the disease affects those over the age of 50 and is especially prevalent in persons suffering from any other condition that damages the immune system (like AIDS or cancer). Also, it can impact anyone taking immunosuppressive drugs.
Tips for Living With and Treating Shingles
Shingles are often contagious, so precautions should be taken to protect family members and others in close contact with the patient. When sores or blisters are present, they should be covered at all times, and bedding and clothing should be washed separately.
Another tip to alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with Shingles disease is to avoid exposure to direct sunlight and try to stay in a cool, dry room as much as possible. Also, avoid scratching the rash. Finally, the best thing you can do is to strictly follow the regimen assigned to you by your doctor.
Shingles is not a disease to take lightly. If you or a loved one begins to show symptoms similar to those described above, you should take the time to have them diagnosed by a trusted physician and then avoid circumstances that make you less comfortable.

Shingles is a common disease in adults that frequently manifests as an awful and painful rash. The very first signs of shingles are a flaming or itchy pain inside or under the skin as felt by the patient. It may sometimes be associated with numbness.Other common symptoms of shingles vary from fever to chilliness with a troubled stomach and head. The pain caused by shingles is sometimes meek and sometimes strong. Different people describe different feelings associated with shingles pain.Symptoms of shingles are often a sign that the body has been weakened by age, stress or other infection. Therefore, keeping your body healthy can reduce the risk of a shingles outbreak or speed up recovery. If you have been exposed to the chickenpox virus (through a vaccine or by coming down with chickenpox) then you are a host of the virus that causes shingle symptoms. It stays dormant in the body and may never impair you, until your immune system falters due to cancer treatment, fatigue or any other extreme stresses. It is then that it can flare up and reactivate, leading to an outbreak of shingles.Pain is a very common symptom in herpes zoster, often appearing well before the appearance of the rash.Predrome (pain) – being the first symptom to appear in patients, it appears to be located at the very site where the virus will be re-activating, making the pain be sharp, piercing, tearing or even similar to an electric shock. Besides pain, the patient might feel that the area is itching or be unbearably sensitive to touch. Muscles aches and even fever are some of the extreme symptoms of the disease.Shingles is a lot like the chickenpox only it occurs in people who are much older, usually in their golden years. The blisters which are caused by shingles and are the defining symptom of shingles are very painful and occur in groups. With the shingles virus there will be a large area of red inflamed skin and blisters will cover that area. The blisters of shingles tend to be filled with liquid, which is another symptom or sign which is readily obvious it is more serious than having a rash or something like eczema.For some days, new blisters keep appearing. They are full of liquid and are very painful. After that, the blisters begin crusting and fall off in two to three weeks. Pain may remain on the affected area even if all the blisters clear. If you get a blister on the nose, you should inform your doctor immediately because your eyes may get affected. It can lead to vision loss.The things to look out for are extreme sensitivity in the skin, which tend to have a burning sensation, and slight itching. After this stage the skin becomes painful, and if you think that you may have shingles a call to your Doctor must be made, as the sooner an antiviral medication is given the easier for the patient it will be.Care must also be taken should the patient have a form of rash near the nose, or on any part of the face. This is most important to get immediate medical help, as if the virus reaches the eyes it can lead to impaired vision, or a complete loss of sight.

Shingles can affect both the male and female gender. In fact, it is estimated that about a million Americans get shingles each year. Understanding the facts about what cause shingles can get you on the right track to medication and treatment.

Fact #1: You don’t catch the shingles virus. It just gets reactivated.

The virus that causes shingles is the same one that causes chicken pox: the varicella zoster. When a person gets chicken pox, the virus can hide itself in the body and can be reactivated once the immune system becomes weak.

It is technically not true that you can catch shingles form someone who has it. You can only get chicken pox from someone who has the shingles virus and who has fresh blisters. Shingles therefore is like another belated but more severe bout of chicken pox.

Facts #2: Shingles may or may not occur.

Those who have had chicken pox do not automatically get shingles. It is estimated though that one in every ten individuals will develop shingles at a later age. It is still not clear whether what cause shingles can cause repeated episodes of shingles. It is believed though that shingles usually happens only once and that a repeat of it is possible but is not always the case.

Fact #3: The shingles virus is not the same as other herpes viruses.

Understanding what cause shingles can help people understand that the virus responsible for shingles is a herpes virus. This is why shingles is also known as herpes zoster. This does not mean though that what cause shingles can also cause genital herpes or mouth sores. The only reason why they all belong to the herpes group of viruses is because herpes viruses have the ability to infect an individual once and then become dormant for a span of time. They can reactivate only when a there is a trigger.

Fact #4: A weak immune system is the crucial shingles trigger.

Eating chicken and other allergy-inducing food do not cause or worsen your shingles and chicken pox. The real trigger for what cause shingles is a weak immune system. This is the reason why understanding what cause shingles is important for the elderly.

Individuals who are already in their 50s or 60s and above stand the higher risk of manifesting shingles because their immune systems are no longer in top shape. It is also possible though that people with immune deficiencies and those sick with cancer and other serious ailments are also at high risk of developing shingles. Anyone with a weak immune system and has had chicken pox before can also have shingles.

Fact #5: Stress is another trigger for shingles.

It is not entirely correct to say that stress is part of what cause shingles. Stress however can increase the chances of an individual who is prone to shingles to develop it. This is because stress can affect the immune system which can lead to a reactivation of the virus. Normal stress actually serves to activate the immune system. Too much stress however can increase the level of work of the immune system that it may stop responding to ailments like shingles.

They have a very strange name, but for those who have ever suffered from them, shingles are no laughing matter.  They’re painful, difficult to treat, and unfortunately they seem to keep coming back for many patients.  But what exactly causes shingles and how can you treat this condition, and keep it from coming back again?

Shingles actually refers to a strain of the herpes virus, however, they are not transmitted sexually.  In adults they are usually caused by a dormant strain of the chickenpox; if you ever had the chickenpox when you were a child, even when the rash cleared up the virus that caused it stayed dormant in your system.  Typically the virus reappears in the form of shingles when something compromises your immune system, such as stress, disease, or just plain aging.  Usually those that are over 50 or that have any type of autoimmune disease are more prone to these outbreaks than anyone else.

Realizing what causes shingles doesn’t actually help you to avoid ever getting them; there’s not much you can do about aging or about getting a disease that compromises your immune system.  But stress is also a common cause, so knowing that should help you understand the need to keep yourself calm and to learn ways of dealing with your stress before an outbreak of shingles.  If you have something coming up that you know will cause excessive stress such as a deadline or presentation or something else, be sure you take extra precautions to keep yourself from getting overly stressed.  Exercise, get plenty of sleep, and eat right.  Talk things through with a family member or friend; sometimes just having a conversation about your stressful situation can put it in better perspective.  These may not seem like much of a cure for shingles but since stress can cause it, if you can control your stress you can cut down on your chances of having an outbreak.

Since shingles manifests itself as a painful skin rash, using topical ointments can help with the immediate pain.  Anti-viral medications and steroids can also help heal the outbreak as well.

Persons that are at special risk for the disease can sometimes get a vaccine that will help keep the virus at bay, and those with autoimmune disorders should be very careful about taking care of their condition carefully.  And anyone that gets recurring cases of shingles should speak to a doctor as this may signal a disease or condition that should be treated properly.

Some common vitamins and over the counter products can help alleviate the symptoms of shingles such as the following:

Zinc is needed for healing and maintaining healthy tissues. Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein and are the vital components of skin, hair, muscle tissue, the body’s organs, blood cells, various enzymes and hormones.  Zinc also has a profound influence on the body’s ability to resist disease.

Tea Tree Oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties and helps sooth and treat problem skin. It is used to help tighten pores and firm skin for a more youthful, healthy appearance.

Salicylic Acid also helps breakdown blackheads and whiteheads. It also helps cut down the shedding of cells lining the hair follicles clogging the pores of the skin.  Salicylic acid is used as a mild abrasive to chemically exfoliate the skin to encourage the peeling of the top layer and to prevent a build-up of dead skin cells which combine with the oil to block pores.

Olbas is used to increase the circulation in skin by opening up the skin pores.  Olbas oil has been used for its healing properties in cultures around the world for centuries.

Isotretinoin, a Vitamin A derivative, is an oral drug that is usually taken once or twice a day with food for 4 to 6 months.  Isotretinoin has been shown to be very effective in treating severe acne and can either improve or clear over 80% of patients studied.  Isotretinoin has a much longer effect than anti-bacterial treatments and will often cure acne for good. It reduces the size of oil glands and much less oil is produced and as a result the growth of propion bacteria is reduced.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.

If you are to get the right treatment for medical shingles, then it is important that you find out first what the disease is all about other than the symptoms. Oftentimes, the myths surrounding medical shingles are the reason why some people may not get the right treatment.

Myth #1: Only old people get shingles.

Medical shingles are found to be more common among old people who haven’t received their chicken pox vaccination or who have not had the chicken pox before. This is only because the elderly often have weaker immune systems due to old age. The truth is that young people can have shingles too. Those who are at the highest risk of getting the disease are those who have had chicken pox in the past and are currently suffering from severe illness or conditions or taking medication that can affect the immune system.

Myth #2: Shingles is not contagious.

Although the really issue is the context of the statement, there has been a lot of debate on this statement. Strictly speaking, you cannot get medical shingles by just being around someone who has it. Those who have medical shingles did not get it from someone else. Having it means the dormant chicken pox virus in your spinal cord has been reactivated due to a weak immune system. People however who have never had chicken pox and have not been vaccinated can get sick of chicken pox if they come in direct contact with a person who has fresh shingles blisters.

Myth #3: It is alright not to get medical treatment for shingles.

Shingles, in fact, can heal over time and disappear on its own after a few weeks. It is not entirely proper however not to apply proper medication on medical shingles. Untreated severe cases of shingles can result in chronic or enduring pain especially among the elderly that can go on for a long time. Medical shingles can also lead to rare but serious complications that may affect the eyes, ears and brain.

Myth #4: Shingles can be treated at any point during the outbreak.

Even if your shingles is already in its mid-stage, doctors will still naturally try to do something about it. It is a fact however that anti viral medication for shingles can work at their best when used early preferably within 2-3 days after the appearance of medical shingles rashes. The duration and pain of medical shingles can be reduced with early treatment.

Myth #5: Rashes are the number one sign to look out for.

The rashes in people with shingles are sometimes mistaken for something else. The first real indication of shingles is pain followed by rashes or blisters. The pain prior to the outbreak is indicative that the condition is more than just a typical allergy episode.

Myth #6: You can prevent shingles 100% of the time.

One way of preventing shingles is by getting a chicken pox vaccination. Sometimes though, even immunization cannot protect you from the chicken pox and shingles virus. Once you have the virus, it will lie dormant in your system even if you get well from chicken pox. Once a trigger like a weak immune system happens, the virus will reactivate as shingles.

Herpes zoster, colloquially known as shingles, is the reactivation of varicella zoster virus, or VZV. The virus, one of the Herpesviridae group, leads to a group of painful blisters over the area of a dermatome.

As you get older, or if your immune system gets weak, the chickenpox virus may escape from the nerve cells and cause shingles. In most cases, however, a cause for the reactivation of the virus is never found. The herpes virus that causes shingles and chicken pox is not the same as the herpes virus that causes genital herpes (which can be transmitted) and herpes mouth sores. Shingles is medically termed Herpes zoster. Early signs of shingles include burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching, usually on one side of the body or face. The pain can be mild to severe. Blisters then form and last from one to 14 days. If shingles appears on your face, it may affect your vision or hearing

The most common location for shingles is a band, called a dermatome, spanning one side of the trunk around the waistline. Anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk for shingles. Scientists think that in the original battle with the varicella-zoster virus, some of the virus particles leave the skin blisters and move into the nervous system. When the varicella-zoster virus reactivates, the virus moves back down the long nerve fibers that extend from the sensory cell bodies to the skin. The viruses multiply, the tell-tale rash erupts, and the person now has shingles.

Shingles is another name for a condition called “herpes zoster.” Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a disease that affects an estimated 2 in every 10 people in their lifetime. This year, more than 500,000 people will develop shingles. It is correctly known as herpes zoster. Chickenpox or varicella is the primary infection with the virus, Herpes zoster , also called ‘varicella-zoster’. During this widespread infection, which usually occurs in childhood, virus is seeded to nerve cells in the spinal cord, usually of nerves that supply sensation to the skin. The virus remains in a resting phase in these nerve cells for years before it is reactivated and grows down the nerves to the skin to produce shingles (zoster). This can occur in childhood but is much more common in adults, especially the elderly. Shingles patients are infectious both from virus in the lesions and in some instances the nose and throat.

Causes of Shingles

Varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chicken pox, causes shingles. This virus is in the herpes family. After a person has had chickenpox the virus remains in their body, lying dormant or hidden in part of the nervous system. For some reason, often many years later, the virus travels back down one of the nerves to the skin, where it causes a rash in the area of skin supplied by that nerve. It’s not clear what triggers reactivation of the chickenpox virus but it may be linked to changes in the immune system. Ensuring your immune system is not weakened may help to prevent this occurring.

Signs and Symptoms of Shingles

Before a rash is visible, the patient may notice several days to a week of burning pain and sensitive skin. Shingles start as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for 3-5 days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that comes out of the spinal cord (called dermatomal pattern). The entire path of the nerve may be involved or there may be areas with blisters and areas without blisters

What is the prognosis?

For most healthy people, the lesions heal, the pain subsides within 3 to 5 weeks, and the blisters leave no scars. However, shingles is a serious threat in immunosuppressed individuals — for example, those with HIV infection or who are receiving cancer treatments that can weaken their immune systems. People who receive organ transplants are also vulnerable to shingles because they are given drugs that suppress the immune system.

Treatment for Shingles

Shingles is often treated with acyclovir (brand name: Zovirax), famciclovir (brand name: Famvir) or valacyclovir (brand name: Valtrex). Acyclovir is available in a generic form, but the pills must be taken five times a day, whereas valacyclovir and famcyclovir pills are taken three times a day. It is important not to miss any doses and not to stop taking the medication early. Antiviral drugs can reduce by about half the risk of being left with postherpetic neuralgia which is chronic pain that can last for months or years after the shingles rash clears. Doctors recommend starting antiviral drugs at the first sign of the shingles rash, or even if the telltale symptoms indicate that a rash is about to erupt. Even if a patient is not seen by a doctor at the beginning of the illness, it may still be useful to start antiviral medications if new lesions are still forming.

Alternative Treatment may include:

# Cold compresses: Apply towels or washcloths wrung out in cold water (and stored in the freezer if you want them colder) to the lesions.

# Lysine cream, available in health food stores, can be applied topically daily or as directed on package label.

# Make an ointment of two mashed aspirins mixed with two tablespoons of chloroform (or Vaseline intensive Care). Apply to the lesions and let dry, Calamine lotion can be applied to the lesions.

Tai Chi

There is preliminary evidence suggesting that tai chi may improve immune function and health in older adults at risk for shingles.

In one study, 36 men and women, aged 60 and over, took a 15 week program of Tai Chi Chih (three 45 minute classes per week) or a wait list control. After 15 weeks, there was an increase in varicella zoster virus-specific immunity and health functioning in people taking Tai Chi Chih. Tai Chi Chih is just one form of the Chinese martial art.

In the past ten years recent studies and research with alternative treatments for shingles has shown it is possible to recover in less than one week and to reduce outbreaks of lesions and pain in three days.

Shingles is a serious health condition and it is important to follow your doctor’s recommendations. Traditionally, most doctors prescribe painkillers for the temporary symptomatic relief of the pain and an antiviral drug to suppress the virus. This form of treatment with drugs reduces the severity and frequency of outbreaks but does not eliminate it from the body. This course of treatment can take six weeks or more and does very little for the patient. The pain associated with shingles can continue long after the initial outbreak.

Some doctors prescribe steroids or itch-relieving creams that contain steroids. Recent studies question the effectiveness of steroids in relieving shingles and suggest avoiding any treatment with steroids. Monitoring by your doctor is recommended, if steroids have been prescribed. It is best to find alternative treatments with your doctor and to seek out natural remedies.

The virus herpes zoster causes shingles and is the same virus that causes chicken pox. Shingles is an infection of the central nervous system and may affect the elderly, those with a compromised immune system, anyone under severe stress or those who have been exposed to the chickenpox virus again. Symptoms may include burning, itching, or pain in one part of the body. A few days later, blisters and a rash appear. The infection may run along a nerve path and look like a branch of a tree. Shingles usually appear on the trunk area and the chest but can also be found on the face. Shingles can cause blindness if it affects the eyes.If an outbreak occurs on the face the patient should get immediate medical care.

Natural Remedies For Shingles

A good starting point for treating shingles is a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables. A good diet and reducing daily stress will help boost your immune system

A simple remedy for lesions is to apply a cool or cold wet washcloth or towel to the affected area. A wet towel can be put into the freezer for a while after wetting it to make it colder.

Eliminate sugar from your diet and add these important nutrients to your daily diet – vitamin E, vitamin B12 and vitamin C.

* Vitamin C is suggested with an initial diagnosis of shingles. You may start with 1,000 mg. (+)

* Vitamin E taken daily before meals may reduce the pain of shingles (Study published in the Archives of Dermatology)(+)

* Vitamin B12 injections may reduce the pain of shingles (Study published in the Journal Geriatrics) (+)

(+) It is recommended that you consult with your doctor before starting any vitamin program.

* E capsules can be squeezed directly onto lesions.

* Avoid heat as well as tight clothes and itchy fabrics like wool.

* Calamine lotion may relieve the pain and help dry the lesions.

Shingles is a serious illness and before starting any treatment program you should consult with your doctor.Shingles is the same virus as chicken pox. You cannot catch shingles from someone else unless you’ve never had chicken pox. If you have shingles you should use caution being around pregnant women who have not had chicken pox – you could infect both the woman and her unborn baby.

Shingles is a condition characterized by painful blisters that typically appear in a linear distribution on the skin following nerve pathways. Shingles is caused by reactivation of a previous infection with the varicella-zoster virus. Shingles is a herpes virus infection (herpes zoster) that usually affects a nerve, causing pain in one area of the body. Infection of the ganglia of the posterior roots of the spinal nerves or the fifth cranial nerve by the varcella-zoster virus (shingles), which also causes chicken pox; it is marked by a painful eruption of vesicles usually on one side of the body along the course of one or more cutaneous nerves.

Shingles is derived from the Latin and French words for belt or girdle, reflecting distribution of the rash in a broad band. This band is usually only on one side of the body and represents a dermatome—the area that a single sensory nerve supplies in the skin.

Today’s treatments provide a variety of ways to shorten the duration of a shingles outbreak and to control the associated pain. Sometimes, however, shingles leads to a chronic painful condition called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) that can be difficult to treat. Putting a medicated lotion (two brand names: Benadryl, Caladryl) on the blisters might reduce the pain and itching. Putting cool compresses soaked in an astringent liquid (two brand names: Bluboro, Domeboro) on the blisters and sores might make them hurt or itch less.

The first sign of shingles is often burning or tingling pain, or sometimes numbness or itch, in one particular location on only one side of the body. After several days or a week, a rash of fluid-filled blisters, similar to chickenpox, appears in one area on one side of the body. Shingles pain can be mild or intense. Some people have mostly itching; some feel pain from the gentlest touch or breeze. The most common location for shingles is a band, called a dermatome, spanning one side of the trunk around the waistline.

Yes, shingles is contagious. Shingles can be spread from an affected person to children or adults who have not had chickenpox. Instead of developing shingles, these people develop chickenpox. Once they have had chickenpox, people cannot catch shingles (or contract the virus) from someone else. Once infected, however, people have the potential to develop shingles later in life.

Doctors can distinguish shingles from chickenpox (or dermatitis or poison ivy) by the way the spots are distributed. Since shingles occurs in an area of the skin that is supplied by sensory fibers of a single nerve–called a dermatome–the rash usually appears in a well-defined band on one side of the body, typically the torso; or on one side of the face, around the nose and eyes. (Shingles’ peculiar name derives from the Latin cingulum, which means girdle or belt.) If a diagnosis is in doubt, lab tests can confirm the presence of the virus.

To help with the pain of shingles, your doctor might have you take an over-the-counter pain medicine like acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (one brand name: Motrin). Aspirin is not recommended because using it might cause a liver problem called Reye’s syndrome.

Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles, while early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and minimize the chance of complications. If shingles causes severe pain, your doctor might have you take a prescription pain medicine.

Good home care can help you feel better faster. Take care of any skin sores, and keep them clean. Take your medicines as directed. And use over-the-counter pain medicines to relieve pain.

Avoid contact with people until the rash heals. While you have shingles, you can spread chickenpox to people who have never had chickenpox. Be extra careful to avoid people with weak immune systems and pregnant women and babies who have never had chickenpox.

Shingles is a reactivation of the herpes zoster virus (varicella-zoster virus, or VZV). This same virus causes the childhood illness chickenpox. The chickenpox virus (varicella) remains in a dormant state in the body in the root of nerves that control sensation. In about 1 out of 5 people, the virus “wakes up,” often many years after the chickenpox infection. The virus then travels along a sensory nerve into the skin causing a painful rash

known as shingles.

Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox starts up again in your body. After you get better from chickenpox, the virus “sleeps” (is dormant) in your nerve roots. In some people, it stays dormant forever. In others, the virus “wakes up” when disease, stress, or aging weakens the immune system. It is not clear why this happens. But after the virus becomes active again, it can only cause shingles, not chickenpox.

Before a rash is visible, the patient may notice several days to a week of burning pain and sensitive skin. Before the rash is visible, it may be difficult to determine the cause of the often severe pain. Shingles start as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for three to five days. The blisters follow the path of individual nerves that comes out of the spinal cord (called a dermatomal pattern).

The first symptom of shingles is a burning or tingling pain, or sometimes numbness, in or under the skin. Other symptoms include fever, chills, headache, or upset stomach. After several days, a rash of small fluid-filled blisters, reminiscent of chickenpox, appears on reddened skin. The pain associated with shingles can be intense and is often described as “unrelenting.”

Also at risk for shingles are people with leukemia, lymphoma, or Hodgkin’s disease, and those whose immune systems have been weakened because they are HIV-positive, or have undergone chemotherapy, radiation, transplant surgery with immunosuppression, or treatment with corticosteroids. Moreover, about 5 percent of people with shingles are found to have an underlying cancer, about twice the number of people in the population expected to have undiagnosed cancer.

Antiviral medications are also routinely prescribed in severe cases of shingles or when the eye is affected. Such treatment needs to begin within three days of getting the rash to be effective, so if you suspect you have shingles, see your doctor immediately. For reasons that are not completely understood, some PHN patients get no relief from pain medication, and what works in one case may not be effective in another.

There are several effective treatments for shingles. Drugs that fight viruses (antivirals), such as acyclovir (Zovirax), valacyclovir (Valtrex), or famciclovir (Famvir), can reduce the severity and duration of the rash if started early (within 72 hours of the appearance of the rash). The addition of steroid drugs may have limited benefit in some cases, but studies have not conclusively confirmed the benefit of steroids in combination with all antiviral drugs. In addition to antiviral medication, pain medications may be needed for symptom control.