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Should we treat herpes zoster with corticosteroid agents?
Author(s) -
Dickinson James A.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1986.tb115929.x
Subject(s) - medicine , corticosteroid , disease , neuralgia , neglect , dermatology , intensive care medicine , anesthesia , surgery , neuropathic pain , psychiatry
Herpes zoster is a common disease which is frequently followed by severe long‐term pain — post‐herpetic neuralgia. The arrival of new antiviral agents, not yet widely available, may lead to the neglect of the older, effective and inexpensive method of treatment with systemic corticosteroid agents. Evidence for the value of corticosteroid therapy is strong, while published data discouraging its use is weak. Consequently, the administration of these agents should be the standard treatment for painful acute zoster.