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Suggest Remedy For Rashes And Itchiness When Suffering From Shingles

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Posted on Fri, 24 Oct 2014
Twitter Fri, 24 Oct 2014 Answered on
Twitter Thu, 20 Nov 2014 Last reviewed on
Question : I was diagnosed with shngles 4 weeks ago. It was around my right breast and upper shoulder blade
It was not alot, but the rash has gone away and the skin is minimally irriated. I get pain inside I guess I have what is called PHN I did start the anti viral med orally meds within 48 hours that I had it .
I still have some shooting pain and when I bend sometimes I feel pain inside my breast ... I want to know if i can help this recovery by swimming, or some other exercise I do get extermely tired by day end
doctor
Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (30 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Exercise won't help much

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Postherpetic neuralgia can be very annoying for the patient and difficult to treat. The doctor can only prescribe drugs that target the symptoms. Exercise has not shown any documented benefits and cannot be recommended.

The patients usually benefit (regarding the pain) from tricyclic antidepressants and opioids. The tricylcic antidepressants are preferred because they've shown good results and because opioids (they're also effective) can cause dependency issues.

The most effective approach seems to be tricyclics with opioids at first - because the tricyclics need some time to develop their effects - and tricyclics alone or in combination with pregabalin or gabapentin later.

I hope I've helped!
If you have further questions on the subject, please do ask!

Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 3815 Questions

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Suggest Remedy For Rashes And Itchiness When Suffering From Shingles

Brief Answer: Exercise won't help much Detailed Answer: Hello, Postherpetic neuralgia can be very annoying for the patient and difficult to treat. The doctor can only prescribe drugs that target the symptoms. Exercise has not shown any documented benefits and cannot be recommended. The patients usually benefit (regarding the pain) from tricyclic antidepressants and opioids. The tricylcic antidepressants are preferred because they've shown good results and because opioids (they're also effective) can cause dependency issues. The most effective approach seems to be tricyclics with opioids at first - because the tricyclics need some time to develop their effects - and tricyclics alone or in combination with pregabalin or gabapentin later. I hope I've helped! If you have further questions on the subject, please do ask! Kind Regards!