Shingles: Medications

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Medications

Medications can help limit the pain and discomfort caused by shingles, shorten the time you have symptoms, and prevent the spread of the disease. Medications also may reduce your chances of developing shingles complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia or disseminated zoster. Early treatment of shingles is important, because the possible complications can be serious and resistant to treatment. For example, 40% to 50% of people with postherpetic neuralgia do not respond to treatment.⁶

Medication Choices

Medications to treat shingles when the rash is present (active stage) may include:

• Over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen, to help reduce pain.
• Antiviral medications, to reduce the pain and duration of shingles.
• Corticosteroids, in combination with antiviral medication, to reduce the pain and duration of shingles.
• Topical antibiotics, which are applied directly to the skin, to stop infection of the blisters.

Medications to treat postherpetic neuralgia pain may include:

• Over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen.
• Tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline.
• Topical medications, such as a lidocaine patch.
• Anticonvulsants, such as gabapentin or pregabalin.
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone.
• Nerve block injections.
• Opioids, such as codeine, oxycodone, and morphine.⁶

What To Think About

For some people, nonprescription pain relievers (analgesics) are enough to help control pain caused by shingles or postherpetic neuralgia.

A prescription medication called pregabalin (Lyrica) has been approved for the treatment of pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia. In tests, it provided rapid and long-lasting pain relief.

Last updated:	March 21, 2007
Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH
Reviewed By:	Wajeeh E. Nasser, MD - Family Medicine, Randall D. Burr, MD - Dermatology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC