According to a large number of international evidence-based medical studies, the most important treatment for herpes zoster is early and adequate systemic antiviral therapy. Topical antiviral drugs are of no use in the treatment of herpes zoster, the main drugs include acyclovir and valacyclovir, and the dose selection and timing of drug use have a very important impact on the prognosis of this disease. In addition to antiviral treatment, pain relief, nerve nutrition, immune function enhancement and topical drug treatment for the type of lesions, and for those occurring on the head and face, corresponding treatment for damage to the eyes and ears and nose, are also necessary for the recovery of the disease. At the same time, the patient should pay attention to rest, keep a happy mood and a regular lifestyle during treatment; he should also wear clean and soft cotton underwear to reduce friction and avoid blister rupture secondary to skin infection. Once the treatment is not timely or the treatment plan is not scientific, herpes zoster may occur in elderly patients with severe post-herpetic neuralgia, where the pain in the affected area can last for months or even longer after the erythema of the blisters has healed, making it difficult to sleep and eat and causing serious impact on the patient’s quality of life. In a small number of patients, viral encephalitis and meningitis can occur, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly and effectively. Frequently asked questions: Is shingles contagious? Chickenpox is an infectious disease, and shingles is caused by the same virus (varicella-zoster virus) as chickenpox, so is shingles also contagious? On the surface, the two diseases, chickenpox and shingles, are not related. However, in reality, these are two disease-causing processes caused successively by the same virus that infects the body. Specifically, chickenpox is caused by a viral infection outside the body, while shingles is caused by a recurrence of the virus latent in the body. Specifically, varicella a zoster virus, after first infecting the body, proliferates in the body, forming a viraemia that spreads throughout the body and causes chickenpox to occur. After the disappearance of chickenpox, the virus can persistently latent in the posterior root ganglion of the spinal cord or in the sensory ganglion of the cranial nerve. At the same time, the active virus can proliferate along the axons of the nerve to the skin cells it innervates, causing a band of herpes to appear in the skin area innervated by this ganglion. Theoretically, the virus is present in the blister fluid of a person with shingles, and children who are not immune to this virus can become infected with chickenpox if they come in contact with the blister fluid, but the chances of this happening are relatively low. Adults are mostly immune, so they will not develop the disease even if they are exposed to it. Therefore, herpes zoster is generally not contagious, and patients with herpes zoster do not need special isolation, but because the herpes fluid in the patient’s blisters has the varicella-zoster virus, attention should be paid to avoid contact with the patient’s herpes fluid as much as possible. Do I need to avoid eating with shingles? Many patients believe that if they have a skin disease, they must avoid eating fish, shrimp, milk and other so-called “hairy” things, and that if they have shingles, they must also strictly restrict their diet, and even some medical professionals have this opinion. In fact, this view is wrong. We know that herpes zoster is a viral infection that occurs when the body is tired and the immune function is lowered. The treatment of herpes zoster requires a strong immune function in addition to antiviral drugs to get the best results. The food that is rich in protein is an important support and guarantee to improve the immunity of the body, and limiting the consumption of high protein food can do more harm than good to the prognosis of shingles. Therefore, patients with shingles should not only refrain from eating, but should also be properly nourished by eating more protein-rich foods such as milk, fish and shrimp. Can shingles recur? Theoretically, herpes zoster is immune for life after cure and usually does not recur, but there are exceptions. It is not uncommon for some patients to have a recurrence of shingles in another part of the body several years after the onset of shingles. There are no specific drugs to prevent the recurrence of shingles, but patients need to pay attention to good lifestyle habits, avoid overwork and psychological stress, and ensure proper nutrition and moderate physical exercise.