Reducing pain in acute herpes zoster with plain occlusive dressings: a case report

INTRODUCTION The pain of acute herpes zoster (shingles) is severe and difficult to control. The medications used to control pain have a variety of important and potentially serious side effects. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first case report of using a plain topical occlusive dressing to reduce the pain of herpes zoster, avoiding the use of medication. CASE PRESENTATION A 40-year-old Caucasian man and a qualified physician (the author), developed a dermatomal vesicular rash consistent with herpes zoster. Applying plain topical occlusive dressings reduced the severity of his pain to an ignorable level. CONCLUSION Plain topical occlusive dressings provide effective pain relief for acute herpes zoster, thereby avoiding the risks accompanying medication use.