Shingles is a virus that affects a patient’s nerve endings. Because they are affected, the nerve endings release large amounts of pain. Below is an explanation of treatment options and the costs and financing of those treatments.
Treatment Options
Treatment of shingles takes the form of managing a patient’s pain. There is no medication that can make shingles disappear or cure itself faster. Rather, shingles cures itself overtime. Therefore, physicians can do little to help a patient other than to prescribe pain medications.
Cost of Shingles Treatment
Shingles treatments should be covered by insurance. As it is a virus that lies dormant in any individual and can appear at any time, insurance companies usually have no means by which to refuse covering treatment. As treatment takes the form of pain medication and potentially antiviral medications that will assist in the cure of the illness, the costs of treating shingles are not overly expensive.
However, treatment also can take time. Because shingles cures itself without any medical assistance, a patient can require long-term care in the form of pain medications. These, too, should be covered by insurance.
Financing Options
If insurance fails to cover shingles treatment, it is possible that a hospital or physician will finance treatment. This arrangement, though, must be made on an individual basis. Speak with your physician or hospital about their willingness to finance your treatments. Fortunately, shingles treatment is rather inexpensive because it is limited only to pain medications. As such, financed treatments should not take too long to repay.
Vaccinations for shingles are available, and are even recommended for individuals 60 years or older. Insurance most likely will pay for this vaccination.
