Shingles: I got blisters on my lips - I thought it was herpes simplex, but I was prescribed shingles ointment.

I felt tired a few days ago because I was so nervous about moving, but suddenly my lips became chapped three days ago.

I thought I was tired, so I put on some Vaseline and went to work.

As the afternoon went on, it didn't go down and I felt more and more swollen and it felt like it was stinging. Could it be shingles?

I heard that shingles usually appear in a band-like pattern.

                    See the journal of Chonnam National University Hospital

For example, I knew that it could easily occur in overlapping areas of the body, such as around the bra strap, armpit, or neck... so I didn't think it was shingles because it only appeared slightly on my lips and I thought it would get better easily.

     

On the second morning, I saw that there were more blisters and the sharp, stabbing pain came on intermittently.

I postponed work for a bit and stopped by the hospital.

He asked how many days it had been, and I said it had been about two days.

He said it was a good idea and prescribed some ointment.

The symptoms are still a sharp pain and blisters, and it has only been two days since the onset, so they said ointment would be sufficient. It was acyclovir ointment, which I remember buying at the pharmacy as an ointment with similar ingredients.

Since it was a small area, including the lips, I applied it to the affected area with a cotton swab and applied it before going to bed at night, and the pain that had been bothering me gradually decreased.

Shingles is a disease caused by the chickenpox virus, which lies dormant due to a weakened immune system, causing inflammation along the nerves. Initial symptoms begin similar to a cold, followed by a skin rash a few days later. Because the symptoms resemble a cold and body aches, early treatment is often missed. This was especially true in the past, with people in their 70s and 80s often complaining of shingles. Shingles was once considered incurable. My grandmother used to say that if the pain invades the nerves, it's permanent, and the pain can last a lifetime, making it a truly terrifying disease. Shingles is most common in patients with HIV or those with weakened immune systems due to organ transplants or chemotherapy, but it can also affect younger people. In severely immunocompromised patients, it can spread throughout the body and be fatal.

*Location of occurrence: skin, nervous system

Changes in blister appearance over 10-14 days

Changes in skin lesions of shingles: Source: Naver

Treatment (Seoul National University Hospital Medical Information)

Treatment of shingles: Administration of antiviral agents is becoming the standard treatment for acute shingles.

It may reduce the extent of nerve damage caused by the virus, which can be a major cause of post-traumatic neuralgia, by inhibiting viral replication.

 

These days, most hospitals recommend the shingles vaccine. A single dose is recommended for adults over 60. I've vaccinated my parents and in-laws. It's also important to avoid overwork and stress in daily life, get enough sleep, and consume a variety of nutrients.

It is said that early treatment of shingles is very important, so check carefully to see if you have a skin rash after a cold. If so, visit a nearby pharmacy or hospital to receive appropriate treatment.