I have shingles inside of my mouth and it really hurts what can I do?

Hello. Thank you for posting.

Shingles cause a red rash that forms a band on one side of your body or face. The shingles rash occasionally develops in the mouth. Common antiviral drugs prescribed to treat shingles include Valacyclovir (Valtrex), Famciclovir (Famvir) or Acyclovir (Zovirax). Antiviral drug therapy is highly beneficial but must be started as soon as possible to counteract the virus. It’s best to start within 48-hours of symptoms. If taken too late, the antiviral may have little to no effect on recovery time, but many patients still opt to take it in hopes of some relief.

You can help reduce discomfort caused by oral lesions by using soothing mouth rinses and/or topical anesthetics. Pain medications are often prescribed as well. See your doctor as soon as possible.

Helena