Overcoming Shingles Symptoms

Shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus. Boils have absolutely nothing to do with shingles. Boils are generally responsive to antibiotics. Good luck -k-
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boils do not turn into shingles. shingles is a varicella virus. usually a recurrence along a nerve line it the person has had chicken pox some other time in their life. boils are typically cause by bacteria. medication that can help shingles are antiviral drugs, and medication to control itching/pain. as for boils your friend would need antibiotics either orally or by iv if the condition is to severe. most skin boils are cause by a bacteria called staphylococcus. over the counter antibiotic ointment probably won’t help if the boils are bad. not to mention, most boils have MRSA in them. which is worse than just regular staph because they are resistant to some antibiotics.
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No. Boils are skin pores or hair follicles that have been infected by the staph bacteria normally present on the skin. They are basically super zits. Shingles are caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, Herpes Zoster. When some people get chicken pox, they don’t actually fight it all off. A few of the virus survive embedded in a nerve cell, usually one on the trunk or back of the body. Since they are inserted into a cell, the immune system ignores them. They sit there for years, until something lowers your immunity and they wake up. They then travel down the connections of the nerve cell, and begin to reproduce. The result is a breakout of very tiny and very itchy and painful blisters on the skin- all full of new Herpes Zoster. There are anti-viral medications out there that can help limit an outbreak, and help prevent future outbreaks, but nothing is perfect and none of them are true cures.
Boils on the other hand are caused by a bacteria, staph most usually. Although it ordinarily lives on the surface of your skin and causes no trouble, if it gets into the skin via a broken spot, or into a hair follicle, it will cause a localized infection. The immune system reacts to wall off the infection, and the result is the large lump that eventually forms a head and drains. These are treated with heat, to encourage spontaneous drainage, but can be incised and drained in the doctors office. In some cases doctors will prescribe a course of antibiotics afterwards, to prevent a secondary infection and to kill off any stray bacteria left behind.
What your friend needs to do depends on which she/he has. If it’s a true boil/carbuncle then simply apply heat and keep your hands off it until it drains on it’s own. Afterwards, keep it covered with a clean bandage and leave it be. It will heal better left to the body to do. If we are actually talking about a shingles outbreak, that will need a visit to the doctor for proper treatment and some pain medications.
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nurse