What kind of doctor can diagnose shingles?
A dermatologist can often diagnose shingles by looking at the rash on your skin. If there is any question about whether you have shingles, your dermatologist will scrape a bit of fluid from a blister. This will be sent to a lab where a doctor will look at the fluid under a high-powered microscope.
Does shingles require a doctor’s visit?
People who have shingles symptoms and signs should see their doctor as soon as possible, because antiviral medication is effective only if given early. Individuals with facial, nose, or eye symptoms and signs should seek medical care immediately. Do not scratch the skin where the rash is located.
Who is the best doctor to treat shingles?
A dermatologist will most likely scrape the blisters on your skin to get a sample and then send it to a lab to verify that you have shingles. Getting a prescription from a dermatologist is the best way to treat shingles.
Do you see a neurologist for shingles?
People with severe postherpetic neuralgia should see a neurologist or pain expert, says Rumbaugh.
When to see an eye doctor for shingles?
Symptoms of shingles around the eye area may include: Blisters or rash on forehead or nose Symptoms that may indicate eye involvement in shingles: Patients who have shingles on the face should get antiviral treatment for shingles and also see an eye doctor right away to monitor for ocular shingles.
What kind of shingles do you get in your eye?
In about 10 to 20 percent of people with shingles, the rash appears in and around the eye. This type of shingles is called ophthalmic herpes zoster, or herpes zoster ophthalmicus. When you have shingles in the eye, the blistering rash will form on your eyelids, forehead, and possibly on the tip or side of your nose.
How are shingles of the eye misdiagnosed?
“It can be confusing and is often misdiagnosed in the early stages,” says James Chodosh, an ophthalmologist with expertise in viruses at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston. “Sometimes people complain of a headache, or think it’s a skin infection, or allergy.
How are shingles of the eye treated in AARP?
For expert tips to help feel your best, get AARP’s monthly Health newsletter. Shingles is typically successfully treated with antiviral medication, but in about 20 percent of cases results in post herpetic neuralgia — chronic pain that lingers long after the infection subsides.
Symptoms of shingles around the eye area may include: Blisters or rash on forehead or nose Symptoms that may indicate eye involvement in shingles: Patients who have shingles on the face should get antiviral treatment for shingles and also see an eye doctor right away to monitor for ocular shingles.
In about 10 to 20 percent of people with shingles, the rash appears in and around the eye. This type of shingles is called ophthalmic herpes zoster, or herpes zoster ophthalmicus. When you have shingles in the eye, the blistering rash will form on your eyelids, forehead, and possibly on the tip or side of your nose.
“It can be confusing and is often misdiagnosed in the early stages,” says James Chodosh, an ophthalmologist with expertise in viruses at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston. “Sometimes people complain of a headache, or think it’s a skin infection, or allergy.
For expert tips to help feel your best, get AARP’s monthly Health newsletter. Shingles is typically successfully treated with antiviral medication, but in about 20 percent of cases results in post herpetic neuralgia — chronic pain that lingers long after the infection subsides.