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Harvard Health Letter

Ask the doctor: What to take for shingles pain

Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D.

Published: April, 2013

Q. I've been diagnosed with shingles. Is there anything I can take for the pain?

A. If you're over age 50 and you've had the shingles pain for less than three days, the current recommendation is that you take a medicine that kills the virus that causes shingles—varicella-zoster virus. The two medicines recommended most often are famciclovir and valacyclovir.

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Daily Health Tip

Memorize the warning signs of a stroke

The acronym FAST can help. F: Face drooping. Can the person smile? Is the smile uneven? A: Arm weakness. Is one arm weak or numb? If the person raises both arms, does one drift down? S: Speech difficulty. Is the person's speech slurred? Can they repeat simple sentences you give them? T: Time to call 911. If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911. Check the time so you know when the symptoms began.

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Ask the doctor: What to take for shingles pain

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