Foot Pain from Shingles: Understanding & Treatment

Shingles is a viral infection that can cause a number of complications. Pain in the feet and other parts of the body might occur. You can treat this pain in a number of ways and it tends to go away over time.

Postherpetic Neuralgia

• Postherpetic neuralgia damages the nerves and causes the skin to transmit inaccurate messages of pain to the brain. It typically appears three months after the infection clears. Nerve pain is common in the feet.

Medications

• Several medications can treat nerve pain. Your doctor might prescribe antidepressants or anticonvulsants; while typically used for other conditions, they interfere with pain signals in the brain and are useful for conditions like this. He might also prescribe oxycodone or other painkillers.

Topical Treatments

• Certain topical treatments can relieve nerve pain. Your doctor can give you patches or gels containing lidocaine or other numbing agents. Over-the-counter treatments containing capsaicin (the chemical that makes chili peppers hot) might work as well.

Natural Treatments

• Alternative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil recommends taking a B-vitamin complex daily as well as 100 mg of alpha lipoic acid daily; both promote nerve health. He also suggests acupuncture or reflexology.

Self-Care

• Massage your feet gently when pain strikes. Wear padded shoes and comfortably fitting socks.