After making the shingles diagnosis, your doctor is likely to give you a combination of medicines, depending on the extent and progress of your infection. Antiviral medication is likely to be one of the treatments you are supplied with, as it will shorten the duration of the viral outbreak. Pain medication and anti-inflammatories may also be prescribed to relieve your discomfort, and if the rash is very severe your doctor may also give you topical antibiotics to stop the blisters from getting infected. Some doctors also support the use of corticosteroids for severe outbreaks, but there is some divided opinion about how much of a difference they would make.
Ideally, you should start treatment within the first three days of the rash appearing. The earlier you start medication, the less likely you are to develop complications.
In some people, the shingles pain can persist long after the rash has healed. When it lasts for longer than a month, it can result in a complication called postherpetic neuralgia which can last for months or even years. The majority of cases, however, improve within a year. Your doctor may treat it with topical anesthetics for pain relief, antidepressants, opioids or anticonvulsant medication.
Another complication of shingles is disseminated zoster, a blistery rash that appears over a large part of your body. It may also affect your internal organs like the lungs, heart, pancreas, liver, intestinal tract and your joints if it is not picked up on time. Herpes zoster opthalmicus is another potential complication, which has the potential to damage your vision. It is important to call your doctor immediately if you develop a rash on your face that covers your cheeks, forehead, nose and develops around one eye, as it could affect your vision if it is left untreated.
Even though there is no cure for the shingles virus at present there are a number of effective medications that you can obtain through low cost medical services in Las Vegas.