Shingles can be an incredibly painful and distressing condition, but you don’t have to wait days for a GP appointment to get help. At Massinghams Chemist, we provide expert shingles treatment in Bethnal Green, offering rapid clinical assessments to help you manage the virus and reduce the risk of long term complications.
Through the NHS Pharmacy First scheme, our pharmacists can now assess and provide prescription antiviral treatment for shingles to adults aged 18 and over, right here in the heart of London E2.
Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox. It can lie dormant in your body for decades before reactivating as a painful rash. Early shingles infection advice in the UK highlights that the sooner you start treatment, the more effective it is.
Common symptoms to watch for:
At Massinghams, we understand that the main challenge with shingles is the discomfort. Our shingles pain relief at our London chemist goes beyond just medication; we provide holistic care to help you through the recovery period.
How our pharmacy can support you:
Expert Wound Care: Advice on how to keep the blisters clean and dry to avoid secondary bacterial infections.
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. When an individual is infected with chickenpox, the virus stays in their body in an inactive form. The inactive virus can become active for several reasons, causing shingles.
The virus that causes chickenpox and later becomes reactivated to cause shingles is called the varicella-zoster virus.
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. It is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. When an individual is infected with chickenpox, the virus stays in their body in an inactive form. The inactive virus can become activated due several reasons, causing shingles.
The initial signs of shingles include:
The rash usually appears a few days later. The rash occurs most commonly on the chest or tummy but it can appear anywhere on the body, including the face, eyes and genitals.
The rash usually develops on one side of the body.
Whether you are seeking protection against Shingles or the Meningitis B virus, our team provides a thorough medical review before every vaccination.
Accessing specialized vaccines like Meningitis B or a private Shingles jab is easy and efficient at our Bethnal Green pharmacy.
Our qualified pharmacists in London E2 are experts in administering adult and childhood vaccinations with care and precision.
Your symptoms will be assessed by one of the pharmacists during a consultation. You may be offered treatment through the Pharmacy First Service if it is clinically appropriate and you are eligible under this service.
Antiviral tablets (for the treatment of shingles (herpes zoster) infection)
*If you are issued a prescription medicine, you will pay the standard NHS prescription charge unless you’re eligible for free prescriptions.
If the pharmacist is unable to offer treatment through this service, they will recommend an alternative or sign-post you to another service.
Want to learn more about shingles? Check out the NHS webpage for up-to-date advice and information on sore throat.
The Pharmacy First Service is an NHS service designed to offer free advice and treatments to eligible patients for seven common conditions including Shingles. Patients can access this service at Massingham Chemist in Bethnal Green. The additional six conditions covered by this service are:
Yes. Under the NHS Pharmacy First service, our pharmacists in Bethnal Green can assess adults (18+) for shingles. If you meet the clinical criteria, we can supply antiviral tablets directly without a GP prescription. This is most effective when started within 3 days of the rash appearing.
You cannot “catch” shingles from someone else. However, someone who has not had chickenpox (or the vaccine) can catch chickenpox from you while your rash is in the blistering stage. We recommend staying away from pregnant women, newborn babies, and people with weakened immune systems until your blisters have scabbed over.
For most people, the rash and blisters last between 2 and 4 weeks. The skin may remain sensitive for a while afterward. Our goal with early shingles treatment in Bethnal Green is to shorten this duration and prevent the blisters from scarring.
Post herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a complication where pain lasts for months or even years after the rash has cleared. It happens because the virus damages the nerve fibers. Starting antivirals early significantly reduces your chances of developing this long term nerve pain.
The shingles vaccine is primarily offered by the NHS to those aged 65 to 79. If you are interested in a private shingles vaccination to protect yourself early, please speak with our team. We can discuss your eligibility and the benefits of the vaccine in preventing future outbreaks.