Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful skin rash caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. This condition predominantly affects older adults and those with weakened immune systems, making it a significant health concern for these groups. Shingles can lead to severe complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), where nerve pain persists long after the rash has healed. This pain can be debilitating, significantly impacting the quality of life. The vaccination is a critical preventive measure against shingles and its complications. In the US, only one vaccine is available: Shingrix. Zostavax has been discontinued. This article will explore what shingles are, the available vaccine, and the eligibility criteria.

Acyclovir cream 5% is an antiviral cream used to treat cold sores on the face and lips. It is best applied at the early stages of a cold sore outbreak where it helps to prevent a cold sore from fully developing. It may also be used to treat and speed up healing of a cold sore that has already developed. In the US, acyclovir requires a prescription.

Acyclovir is a prescription-only antiviral medicine used to treat and prevent future outbreaks of cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus. Once you’ve had contact with the virus that causes cold sores, it lies dormant in the skin and may flare up from time to time. You might recognize triggers - stress, and exposure to the cold or sun are common ones. Acyclovir (Zovirax, Sitavig) requires a prescription.

Acyclovir is a prescription-only antiviral medicine that treats cold sores, shingles, chickenpox, and genital herpes. It does not cure a viral infection but helps reduce the outbreak's severity and length. In people with frequent outbreaks and those with a weak immune system, acyclovir tablets can be used to help reduce the number of future outbreaks as a preventative medication. Acyclovir tablets can be used in children and adults. There are different dosages for taking these tablets depending on the patient, their medical history, and the type and severity of viral infection.

Amoxicillin is a type of antibiotic from the penicillin family. It is used in adults, children and infants to treat a range of different bacterial infections such as chest infections, sinusitis, tonsillitis, dental abscesses, ear infections and Lyme disease. It can come in capsules, oral suspension, chewable, and injection formulations. Amoxicillin is only available on prescription. Amoxil is a branded version of amoxicillin.

Abreva cold sore cream contains docosanol which is an antiviral agent. Treatment must start in the early stages of a cold sore before the blisters appear. As soon as you get any symptoms, carefully apply a thin film over the entire cold sore 5 times a day. Continue using until the cold sore is healed, usually for 4-6 days. The cause of cold sores is a herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. The infection may break out when the immune system is weakened during stress or a menstrual period. The virus causes blisters or sores, mainly on the lips.

Curanail 5% is an over-the-counter product containing amorolfine, and is a topical treatment used for fungal nail infections. The nail solution is painted onto the infected nail using the brush provided. It works by soaking in through the nail to kill the fungus responsible for the infection. A fungal nail infection most commonly affects the toenails but can also affect the fingernails. It is most commonly caused by the same fungi that cause athlete's foot. The fungi often cause the infected nail to become discolored, brittle, thickened or distorted. If left untreated the nail may be destroyed and the surrounding skin can also become infected. This medicine is available for purchase over-the-counter in some pharmacies, but is not available in the United States. How does Curanail work? Curanail contains amorolfine which kills fungi and prevents the infection from spreading further. Amorolfine is able to penetrate the nail’s surface and creates small holes within the fungi’s outer membranes. This causes the fungal cells to leak which is why the fungi dies. In order to get the best result using Curanail, it’s vital to make sure you file down the infected nails using the nail files provided before each weekly application. This allows Curanail to absorb deeper within the nail to have the best chance of fully killing off the fungal infection.

Most of us have felt the effects of a common cold – adults get one once or twice a year, and children up to six times a year. Less people have had the flu, but it's another bothersome virus causing trouble. Symptoms can include a blocked nose, sore throat, headaches, muscle aches (not always), cough (dry) or chesty), sneezing, temperature (not always), and loss of taste or smell.

Coughs are irritating, and uncomfortable and, since COVID-19 arrived, make us feel a bit socially unacceptable. A cough is the body's powerful reflex used to respond to a threat and irritation in your respiratory tract. When specialized sensors in your airways detect an irritant such as smoke, dust, allergens, irritants or infection, it triggers a cough reflex that causes the muscles in your airways to contract and push a burst of air out through your airways in an attempt to remove the cause of the irritation. In the case of infection, it may also make sputum (mucus) to help capture viruses and bacteria and expel them in the cough, defending and protecting your body from harm. There are many ways to describe how your cough feels, and this can help us determine likely causes and target treatments. Catching a virus or bacteria is the most common cause of a cough, which can bring other symptoms like sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, fever, and feeling run down. Long-standing medical conditions and medications can cause a cough, so it's worth consideration and a visit to your doctor if a cough is persistent and not fitting with a common cold or minor chest infection. We've become attuned to coughs as a sign of COVID-19 infection. This was undoubtedly true at the start of the pandemic, but vaccination has made this a less common symptom than some others, like a sore throat and nasal congestion. We'll take you through how to assess your cough in terms of causes and reasons to visit the doctor. It's also good to know when to keep away from loved ones and colleagues, as a cough can be contagious if it caused by an infection.

Walking into a pharmacy can be quite overwhelming when it comes to trying to choose the right product to ease your child’s cough. The first thing to know is that the science behind cough medicines is not conclusive, but anecdotally people find them effective in helping to reduce their cough’s severity. The second is that your child’s cough is most likely caused by a virus – occasionally a bacterial infection– and the cough medicines are designed to ease symptoms but they can’t cure it or make it go away any quicker. The third thing to bear in mind is that coughs are worse at night – gravity when lying flat causes the secretions from their nose, throat and chest to pool and irritate -just when you want them to get a good night’s sleep. So, cough medicines may be a good idea at night and to have by the bedside in case they awaken with a coughing fit. Your child’s age is a good place to start when choosing a cough medicine. Many cough medicines are not suitable for children under the age of 6 years unless directed by a physician. For kids younger than 6 months, Tylenol infant suspension and Motrin infant suspension can be used to provide some relief if your child has a persistent cough causing discomfort associated with a temperature. Different types of ingredients found within cough syrups have different properties to soothe irritation, hopefully aiding comfort and soothing them to sleep.

Classic symptoms of COVID-19 consist of a continuous cough, fever, and loss of sense of smell or taste. However, the symptoms in children have quickly changed to include sore throat, diarrhea, headache, tiredness, muscle and joint aches, conjunctivitis, nausea or vomiting, and runny nose. It's much rarer for serious illness from COVID to afflict those under 18, but not impossible. If they experience shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, this is a reason to seek urgent medical attention, as you would in other illnesses. Post-COVID syndrome, or long COVID as most people know it, can occur in children. Specific symptoms, such as cough, difficulty breathing or exercising, concentration difficulty, or immense fatigue, can persist for three months after the initial infection.

Dr. Scholl's Freeze Away is an application treatment for verrucas and warts. These conditions are prevalent, especially in children, and fortunately, are not harmful. They can usually resolve independently without treatment, but certain products can speed up this process. The ingredients in the spray work by gently freezing the affected skin tissue, helping to eliminate the virus and excessive skin and can work within one application.