The main weapon to fight a shingles outbreak is an antiviral medication. Three types — acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir — are approved for older adults and younger people, too. While acyclovir (Zovirax) may be the most effective, it requires five doses a day, which can be a challenge for an older person.

How long does shingles last in the elderly?

Most cases of shingles last three to five weeks. The first sign is often burning or tingling pain; sometimes it includes numbness or itching on one side of the body. Somewhere between one and five days after the tingling or burning feeling on the skin, a red rash will appear.

Can elderly recover from shingles?

Long Term Effects of Shingles in Elderly This condition can last for months or even years and can make recovery from shingles in the elderly particularly challenging. Shingles located on the face can cause eye damage or blindness if not treated very quickly.

How do adults get rid of shingles?

There’s no cure for shingles, but your doctor can prescribe antiviral medication to help shorten the duration of the virus and reduce symptoms. Although an antiviral is an effective treatment for shingles, it’s not the only option. Several natural remedies may also reduce pain and discomfort.

What are the final stages of shingles?

The 4 stages of shingles and how the condition progresses

• The stages of shingles are tingling pain, followed by a burning feeling and a red rash, then blistering, and finally the blisters will crust over.
• You will typically develop a rash about 1-5 days after you feel numbness or tingling pain.

Are shingles worse in elderly?

The bottom line. Though shingles can affect anyone at any age, it’s much more common among older adults. The virus can also cause more severe symptoms and complications for older people, too. To help avoid complications, such as long-term nerve pain, get a diagnosis and begin treatment as early as possible.

What triggers a shingles outbreak?

Shingles is triggered by a weakened or compromised immune system. Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a virus infection that causes painful rashes on the body, usually on one side of your torso. It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.

What are the effects of shingles in an elderly person?

Complications from shingles in the elderly can lead to serious, long-term health problems. They range from bacterial skin infections that can cause scarring and narcotizing fasciitis to hearing and vision loss, encephalitis, transverse myelitis, peripheral motor neuropathy, and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).

Why do older adults get shingles?

The reason for shingles is unclear. But it may be due to lowered immunity to infections as you grow older. Shingles is more common in older adults and in people who have weakened immune systems.

What is the best painkiller for shingles?

For shingles pain, start with NSAIDs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You can find these over the counter on pharmacy store shelves, and they include popular medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

What is the most common treatment for shingles?

Several antiviral medicines— acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir —are available to treat shingles and shorten the length and severity of the illness. These medicines are most effective if you start taking them as soon as possible after the rash appears.

What should I not eat with shingles?

Foods to avoid with shingles

• candies and sweets.
• cakes and baked goods.
• sugary drinks.
• sugary cereals.
• sugary sauces.
• ice cream.
• white bread.
• white rice.

How painful is shingles on a scale of 1 to 10?

“ Shingles is extremely painful, said Bolling. “On a scale from one to 10, most patients will say the pain ranges from six to 10.” Between one and five days after the first symptoms occur, a rash will develop in the affected area.

How do I know when my shingles are over?

The blisters will scab over and begin to heal, which takes from 1 to 3 weeks, unless the rash is on your scalp in which case it can take several months. As they heal, the blisters become smaller and less painful, generally over a period of 3 to 5 weeks.

Why do shingles hurt so bad?

Postherpetic neuralgia occurs if your nerve fibers are damaged during an outbreak of shingles. Damaged fibers can’t send messages from your skin to your brain as they normally do. Instead, the messages become confused and exaggerated, causing chronic, often excruciating pain that can last months — or even years.