Shingles is also known as herpes zoster, and occurs when the virus that causes chicken pox reactivates in older adults and causes painful or itchy skin lesions. Shingles generally occurs in adults 50 years or older, but can occasionally occur in younger people who are undergoing large amounts of stress. This guide will show you how to recover from shingles.

• See your doctor to have them prescribe antivirals.

• Take over-the-counter medication to make the rash site more comfortable.

• Do not itch or rub the area, which will cause further irritation.

• Shingles may take several weeks to heal, so patience is required.

There is no cure for shingles. However, there are some things you can do that may lessen the time that you suffer from the ailment. Shingles can take several weeks to fully heal, and your symptoms may vary from itching to burning to sharp pain. The best thing you can do is take it easy and let the shingles heal on its own. Below are a few tips that can help it go away faster.

As long as you catch shingles early enough, your doctor may recommend that you take antiviral medication. This can prevent complications from happening later on with postherpetic neuralgia. Some of the common drugs that are prescribed are:

• Acyclovir (Zovirax)
• Valacyclovir (Valtrex)
• Famciclovir (Famvir)

These are strong medications that may cause complications. See your doctor before taking any of these drugs.

Shingles can be incredibly itchy or painful. There are a variety of topical treatments that can keep you comfortable while shingles takes its course and the antiviral medication sets in.

• Clean the area - Make sure the area where the rash is located is kept clean and dry. This will prevent any secondary infections.

• Topical triple antibiotics or cortizone - This will keep the area clean and free of outside contaminants that will prolong the healing.

• Anti-itch cream - If your shingles is itching severely, you may need to use an anti-itch cream to help soothe the area.

Another important thing to know is that you should not scratch or rub the rash. This will only make you more uncomfortable and could introduce contaminants into the open sores.

The antiviral medication that your doctor prescribes will not affect the pain or itching. You may also want to take drugs such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), Ibuprofen, or aspirin to help the irritation on your skin. Various anti-itch creams are available over the counter, as well.