Shortly after my arm hurt so badly last week, I thought it coincidental that I had an outbreak of eczema on the same arm. In addition to the eczema failing to respond to home treatment that usually works, it stopped looking like any eczema I had ever had before. Also, although my arm was never quite as painful as that first day, it didn’t quite feel like past episodes of overuse either.
I went to see the doctor today. I had started to think that I might have shingles, and, unfortunately, so does the doctor. I’ll be taking one of the antiviral drugs, and ibuprofen does seem to help the pain, but shingles seems to be one of those wildly varying complaints that can take a long time to heal. It is good to know that all the weird symptoms in my right arm probably has the same cause. In the space of ten minutes, I will have throbbing pain, shooting pain, tingling and itching. The weirdest feeling is not painful though: occasionally I feel as though I have a drop of liquid on my skin, but it is dry when I look at the area. It is like the stupid little nerves in my arm are just firing at random.
I’m so sorry about your arm. I’ve seen two people through bouts of shingles and I know how painful it is. May you heal quickly.
Sympathies from one who suffered a bout of shingles a few years ago.
So, of course, I’m going offer advice!
First off, I can’t emphasize how important it is to realize that you are shedding active chickenpox virus particles as long as you have a rash. This is important, not only for young children, but also for people who are immune compromised for whatever reason. I gave a co-worker of mine chickenpox (he was 26) because I didn’t make a huge point of my contagion.
Keeping the areas with the rash warm really helps with the pain. At the height of my outbreak, I was sleeping on a heating pad. To this day, when the area with the major outbreak gets chilled I _feel_ it. Not pain, just _feel_ it.
Lemon balm (Melissa officianalis) has been reported to help with nerve damage. I drank copious quantities of a tisane made from dried lemon balm and I think it really helped. You can find the dried leaf at health food stores or a tincture is available. Stuff doesn’t taste bad, either.
Lordy, I had this when I was in my mid-30s and it was so doggoned painful, but it stayed put on one side of my body and never reached my face. I hope it didn’t affect your Christmas. What a gorgeous sunset, and did you make the ornament on your tree?