Do not use thick ointment, such as petroleum jelly, on the sores. This will keep them from drying and healing. To help remove loose crusts, soak them in tap water. This can help decrease oozing, and dry and soothe the skin.

Over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications may reduce pain and skin irritation. Options include: anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil) antihistamines for itching, including diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

Vitamin B12 – Vitamin B12 helps promote faster recovery and reduced pain. Zinc – Zinc supports immune function and has an antiviral effect. Also helps to protect the skin from infection. Cayenne (capsicum) – Cayenne contains a substance called capsaicin which can relieve pain and aid healing.

To help with the pain of shingles, your doctor might have you take an over-the-counter pain medicine. This could include acetaminophen (one brand: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (two brands: Motrin, Advil). Applying a medicated anti-itch lotion (two brands: Benadryl, Caladryl) to the blisters might reduce the pain and itching.

It can be constant or intermittent and may get worse at night or in reaction to heat or cold. The pain can result in fatigue, sleep disturbance, anorexia, depression and, in general, a lowering of quality of life.

Patients with shingles infection or lesions should avoid excess arginine (an amino acid) in their diet. Food sources of arginine to avoid include nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, soybeans and tofu, gelatin, canned tuna, chicken, egg, whole grain wheat flour, raw garlic and onion, and chocolate syrup.

If left untreated, some complications of shingles can be fatal. Pneumonia, encephalitis, stroke, and bacterial infections can cause your body to go into shock or sepsis.

Which antiviral medication is best for shingles? The antiviral medications used to treat shingles are valacyclovir, famciclovir, and acyclovir. They are all effective at helping shingles rashes crust over and heal, and they help reduce pain as you are healing.

Stress-balancing Bs are vital to a shingles diet since the virus tinkers with nerve endings causing severe pain. Get cracking with eggs of all manners, along with milk and chicken, packed with B12s, while bananas, brewer''''s yeast and potatoes have an abundance of calming B6s.

Zoster Cream is an antiviral topical preparation effective in treating skin infections caused by the herpes simplex virus.

Some of the common side effects associated to Zoster Cream include temporary burning, cracked lips, stinging sensation, and flaky skin.

Zoster Cream acts by preventing the multiplication of virus in the skin cells.

The treatment of Zoster Virus may take three to five weeks.

Shingles may feel more painful at night due to fluctuations in body temperature at night. The body temperature reduces a bit.