Can shingles cross-wire your nerve pathways?
Diagnosed Sept 1/17 with the right side of my face and top scalp involvement. Yesterday, I put a Sistane Ultra drop in my right eye expecting cool soothing. Suddenly I felt as if someone held a blowtorch to my eye and scalp. I ran to the bathroom and turned the hand-held cold shower on my face and scalp. The intense pain brought me to tears. After a few seconds of flushing the pain eased and was gone. There was definitely a connection between my right tear duct, right nostril and upper scalp. Now I am afraid to put anything in my right eye out of fear this odd interaction would happen again. Never had pain like this, and I gave birth without pain killers.
Hi ElisabethD. Sorry to hear you are having these issues. Shingles absolutely effects the nerves and can do damage to the eyes. As with any new symptom, you should bring this to the attention of your doctor. This article from one of our contributors looks at shingles and RA: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/shingles/. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Best, Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team)
You should see an ophthalmologist or retinologist. If the shingles is that close to your eye, you could end up with permanent damage. I speak from experience. I would cool compresses help the most but be extremely careful if you have open blisters or sores. You don't want to get it in your eye. I use liquid Lidocaine 4% to numb the affected area after the sores healed. I had an outbreak that lasted 10 months so I have severe postherpetic pain. Good luck
, thank you for sharing this personal advice! I am so sorry you are familiar with the challenges of dealing with a shingles outbreak. I hadn't even considered the risks of having sores so close to the eyes. I am sorry you have dealt with such strong pain from the outbreaks, too.
Thank you again for joining the conversation here and I hope you don't experience another outbreak for a very long time (or ever)!
Best, Erin, Team Member.
