Shingles
Patient Education

Doctors Who Treat Shingles

Often, the general practitioner or family doctor is the first healthcare provider that approached for evaluation since there is an ongoing professional relationship. The general practitioner is a physician who treats both acute and chronic conditions for patients of all ages and also provides patient education and preventive care for shingles / chickenpox.

Additional specialists that provide care on the team include:

• Dermatologists - doctors who specialize in the health, diagnosis and treatment of skin and its conditions. Shingles involves a painful skin rash, which is treated by these doctors.
• Pain Management Physicians - are doctors that have received certification in neurology, orthopedics, and anesthesiology who then go on for further training in pain and the treatment of it. They work in tandem with treating physicians for the pain that shingles causes.
• Ophthalmologists - doctors who specialize in the health, diagnosis and treatment of the eye and vision. Shingles of the eye can affect lids, sclera, conjunctiva, cornea and ophthalmic nerve. Antiviral medication and pain medication is used to quell the condition.
• ENT (otolaryngologists) - ear, nose and throat physicians are doctors that focus on those areas. Because facial involvement can be involved in shingles as well as hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears), ENT specialists are involved in the care.

How to Prepare for Your Shingles Doctor Visit

Having made your appointment with a healthcare provider, there are certain actions that you need to take in order to maximize the benefit of your doctor visit which are listed below in this shingles patient education guide.

• Do not allow affected skin to come into contact with others and avoid sexual encounters until the test results or diagnosis has been made.
• If a vaginal and cervical sample will be taken, do not douche for one day prior to the test. If it will be collected from the urethra, do not urinate for two hours prior to the exam.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Shingles

Listed in this shingles patient education guide are helpful questions for you to discuss with your doctor so you can make more informed decisions about your condition.

Questions About My Diagnosis

• How did I get Shingles?
• What is giving the diagnosis of shingles?
• Are there definitive tests?
• Are there other conditions that mimic shingles?
• How long will this condition last?
• How long will the symptoms last?
• Are there permanent or lingering effects of chickenpox?
• Is Shingles associated with other medical conditions?
• Can I catch shingles from the vaccine?
• What are the risks from having shingles?
• Can this reoccur?

Questions About My Treatment

• Are there drugs to treat shingles?
• What are the side effects of these drugs?
• What if I don't take the drugs?
• Am I eligible for the vaccine if I have had chickenpox?
• Is there pain medication that you advise?

Questions About My Lifestyle & Family

• Am I contagious to children and family members?
• How do I prevent my family from catching chickenpox?
• Can I work while I have shingles?
• Is there exercise that can hasten recovery from shingles?
• Is there a special diet that can hasten recovery?

Common Tests or Labs to Diagnose Shingles

The diagnosis of Shingles is typically made from the history of pain along one side of the body or a rash and blisters along one area. If there is any doubt, the following tests listed in this shingles patient education guide can be performed.

Common Medications and Treatments for Shingles

There is no cure for shingles. Once treatment has been rendered and the symptoms dissipate, the virus hides along nerves and can possibly reoccur if a person is under extreme stress or if their immune system becomes compromised.

However, prompt treatment can speed recovery.