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Shingles Pain

Shingles Pain Treatment Specialist Q&A

Shingles is a rash that appears on one side of the face or body and is typically unpleasant and uncomfortable. Blisters make up the rash, which usually scabs over in 7 to 10 days and goes away completely in 2 to 4 weeks. Are you suffering from shingles pain? Come to Dr. Pawan Grover, MDPA at InovoSpine for comprehensive treatment. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 1140 Business Center Dr, Suite 110, Houston TX 77043.

Shingles Pain Treatment Specialist Near Me in Houston, TX
Shingles Pain Treatment Specialist Near Me in Houston, TX
Shingles is a rash that appears on one side of the face or body and is typically unpleasant and uncomfortable. Blisters make up the rash, which usually scabs over in 7 to 10 days and goes away completely in 2 to 4 weeks. Are you suffering from shingles pain? Come to Dr. Pawan Grover, MDPA at InovoSpine for comprehensive treatment. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 1140 Business Center Dr, Suite 110, Houston TX 77043.
Shingles is a rash that appears on one side of the face or body and is typically unpleasant and uncomfortable. Blisters make up the rash, which usually scabs over in 7 to 10 days and goes away completely in 2 to 4 weeks. Are you suffering from shingles pain? Come to Dr. Pawan Grover, MDPA at InovoSpine for comprehensive treatment. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 1140 Business Center Dr, Suite 110, Houston TX 77043.

Table of Contents:

What are the causes of shingles pain?
What are the symptoms of shingles pain?

What is the best pain relief for shingles?
How long does it take for shingles to stop hurting?
Why is my shingles pain getting worse?

Shingles Pain Overview


Shingle is a viral infection that develops in some adults that have had chicken pox at one time. Most people will recover from shingles without any lasting effect. A small percentage of patients will have a difficult time with the pain.

In those instances, the pain can last for several months, years, and even for the rest of a patient’s life. When this occurs, a patient is said to have postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). The virus will have damaged nerves in the skin causing the patient to experience pain in a mild form or so severe that even a slight touch is excruciating.

What are the causes of shingles pain?


Shingles are caused by the varicella-zoster virus – the virus that causes chickenpox. When a person contracts chickenpox or has the virus introduced into the body through a vaccine, the virus will lay dormant in the body. When the body’s immune system is compromised or becomes weak, shingles can surface.

What are the symptoms of shingles pain?


Symptoms for shingles include:

– Headache
– Persistent rash
– Burning sensation where the rash is present
– Extreme pain where the rash is
– Flu like symptoms without the fever
– Sensitivity to light

What is the best pain relief for shingles?


Shingles primarily present as a painful rash on the face or on the side of the body. Shingles are caused by varicella-zoster, the same virus that causes chickenpox, and it may lay dormant in the nerves for years after chickenpox before suddenly flaring up and becoming active.

Shingles can become very painful, so immediate treatment is the best course of action. There is no cure for shingles so doctors will manage each patient on a case-to-case basis when establishing the best way to provide pain relief. Medications relieve pain, reduce inflammation, control the infection, and can promote faster healing.

Some antiviral drugs are used to mitigate the risk of complications and accelerate healing, they include Acyclovir (Zovirax), Valacyclovir (Valtrex), and Famciclovir. To manage the severe pain often associated with a shingles diagnosis a doctor may prescribe numbing agents to be administered via gel, cream, skin patch, or spray, medications like codeine, an injection of local anesthesia, and corticosteroids, antidepressants like gabapentin, capsaicin topical patch, and more.

Certain medication options decrease the spread of shingles rashes and can stop the condition from worsening. A doctor may sometimes also suggest various over-the-counter pain management options in the scenario where the discomfort is milder.

Each patient will have a different experience of shingles, as it varies from mild discomfort to severe pain. So, treatment will vary depending on the nature of the condition. Some research has suggested treatments such as supplements or acupuncture which may also assist in the management of shingles. Shingles vaccinations also exist with a preventative success rate of approximately 90 percent.

How long does it take for shingles to stop hurting?


Shingles present with pain and a rash that develops into blisters somewhat similar to chickenpox in appearance. Blisters can arise for approximately a week but dry out shortly after presenting and leading to scabs. The scabs that form over the blisters can result in light scarring.

The level of pain varies from mild to severe and is sometimes a continuous, dull burning feeling with more sharp pains from time to time. The skin will typically feel tender in the impacted area. Early symptoms of shingles can include pain such as itchiness, numbness, or tingling in the affected area, a headache, and a fever. Shingles typically last between two and four weeks, but the pain can, in some cases, last longer than the rash.

Why is my shingles pain getting worse?


A third of the population experiences shingles at some point in their lives, but for many, the pain lingers, even after the painful rash and blisters accompanying shingles remain. This can lead to postherpetic neuralgia, which is a complication of shingles.

Patients experiencing postherpetic neuralgia suffer from deep pain that lingers at the site of the rash. This can cause further sensory issues and long-term pain. The best way to avoid postherpetic neuralgia is by receiving treatment during the initial outbreak of shingles.

For patients suffering from shingles, early treatment can ease pain, help manage symptoms, and prevent further complications. Shingles can be a relatively mild condition that causes discomfort for a couple of weeks’ time. When left untreated, the pain can disrupt day-to-day life and even develop into irreversible complications with the development of postherpetic neuralgia.

Shingles treatment is available at InovoSpine where Dr. Pawan Grover, an interventional pain specialist, treats chronic and acute pain. Patients in Houston, TX can contact us or book an appointment today. InovoSpine offers advanced state-of-the-art treatment options to help patients live a pain-free life. Reach out to us today and let us help treat your shingles and get you back to living life again. We serve patients from Houston TX, Hedwig Village TX, Meadows Place TX, Missouri City TX, Hunters Creek Village TX, Spring Valley Village TX and surrounding areas.