Shingles in the mouth

Infections
1

I had a  burning etc left had side roof of mouth and had operation for cataract recently and it was also aching left hand side went to doctor examined my mouth said I have shingles prescribed acroviral 5 times a day mouth is very sore inside bi

ut that's only symptoms will this now go away without rash etc occurring 

2

Not sure it will go away but might help to clear it up faster. Did you have any rash or pain on face, head, neck, shoulder etc? It's usually triggered after some sort of stressful occurance such as surgery, illness or incident in your life which has upset you. Probably the OP for cataract in your case. The chickenpox virus stays dormant in your body and never goes away after you've had a bout of it. It's reactivated as I mentioned above in these or similar circumstances. Older people are more at risk. More info available on this site if you want to check it out. Look under health info for a stert. Best wishes, Ellie. rolleyes

3

Hi June,

Shingles is caused by Herpes Zoster Virus, the chicken pox virus, which lies dormant in your body until you are under stress, such as illnesses, surgery, or immunocompromised, etc.

The first stage which lasts up to 10-14 days, often has symptoms such as headache, joint and muscle aches, malaise, fatigue, and low grade fever. The pain can precede the rash by 24-72 hours. Then the pain starts, which is described as itching, burning, electric, stabbing, but in most older individuals, can be agonizing, excruciating, and last weeks or a couple of months. Any longer and the pain is classified as the dreaded post herpetic neuralgia (PHN.)

Shingles is almost always on one side of the body, in your case, the left side. People can have recurrent episodes, always on the same side and same location, but does not happen to most people. This forum, though, is devoted to individuals who have had particularly difficult times with Herpes Zoster, including me.

I am a Nurse Practitioner in the States who has Herpes Zoster Oticus in my right ear every three to five weeks for the last 19 years and had Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus twice in my right eye. I am 63 years old and immunocompromised.

My suggestion to you is to obtain excellent pain relief now with Opioids if you need it. I am glad you were diagnosed immediately and placed on antivirals as that is key.

Please let me know if you have any questions as the head can be a tricky place to treat, causing severe headache, etc.

All my best,

Merry Juliana

4

Thank you Merry it is roof of my mouth but I was more concerned with left eye as just over month ago had cataract op as doc was as well but gave me acroviral tablets 5 times a day first day is over seems to be okay at moment apart from pain in mouth and slight headache so hopeful was caught really early thank you for you reply and help I am in the United Kingdom hope you eventually get some relief from this painful disease kind regards June xx

5

Thank you Ellie for your reply and info I was more worried about my eye then my mouth because of pain in that went to the doctor as just thought I had burnt my mouth with food or had an ulcer just as well I did as he put me straight on acroviral tabs 5 times a day for seven days as was worried about the eye as well but eye seems to be okay apart from very sore mouth and slight headache seems to have caught in time I am in the United Kingdom good to have reply like this as never had shingles in my life and am now 73 years of age fingers crossed not again kind regards June xx

6

Dear June,

Very glad your Zoster was diagnosed and treated early as often that prevents the devastating sequelae and complications.

My initial Zoster-Shingles was not diagnosed until I saw an excellent neurotologist 4 weeks after onset of agonizing pain, for which I never received any analgesics. I lost 90% of my hearing in my right ear. Two ENT doctors thought I was faking the pain, as they couldn't "see anything wrong," although I had blisters my 7 year old son had seen via my otoscope . Many physicians are not astute regarding shingles, so you are indeed fortunate.

Should you have an inkling of a recurrence, get antivirals immediately, within 24 hours, as that is the most definitive and important key in improving your outcome.

Best regards, and don't hesitate to ask if you have questions,

Merry Juliana

7

Hi

no my rash took a week to come out .hope you feel better soon 

Julie 

8

Hi June,

Sorry to hear you ve been suffering from shingles, I have had recurrent attacks of shingles for over 10 years and like you have had it twice in the roof of my mouth, which is extremely painful, aparently its called Ramsey Hunt Syndrome when you get it in your mouth.  Last October i had the shingles vaccine which kept attacks at bay for over 10 months but unfortunately is reared its ugly head again in my mouth. I had antivirals for a week, its so frustrating because i feel really tired and unwell for a couple of weeks after.Ive had gabapentin for pain relief in the past too. Other than shingles im fit and well thats the annoying part of it!!  Hope you are soon feeling better, best wishes Lisa1510

9

Hello June54386, I am not sure it will go away, they may have caused a trauma to your mouth while having surgery not sure about that but it can cause that I doubt that they will go away! I know not what you wanted to hear I am soooo sorry but the reality is not likely.  Drink lots of fluids stay on the anti virals and stay healthy because I know for me I get them with any stress, cold or what ever stirs in my life and we all have stuff so it will be a constant job to stay healthy and not get to worried.  If I can help at all by just listening I will!  So sorry again hope you feel better.

10

I'm a 43 year old male in decent shape with no stress in my life, at the time I got the shingles in my mouth. Looking back it all makes sense but didn't at first. At first I thought I had a toothache. That was a Sunday. On Tuesday I had blisters on the left side of my lips and inside my mouth. Knew that I needed to see a doctor. Went to an urgent care and found out I had shingles in my mouth. Over the next couple days. I was in severe pain. Had a couple trips to the ER. They gave me injections of opiate painkillers there and more to take home. Nothing would make my tongue stop hurting. I cryed like a baby from the pain I was in. Also was givin lidocaine oral stuff. Swish and spit numbing liquid. That only took the edge of the pain for a couple minutes. I went 4 days with little to no sleep amd not a single bite of food. It is the worst pain and discomfort I've ever experienced. I'm now a week into it and not sure what's going to happen from here on.

11

My situation is almost identical to yours.  My shingles is also in my mouth . . . "triggered" by a root canal earlier in the week.  It scares me to think I could get this again, and possibly again.  The only relief I've had thus far is chloraseptic "mints" with 20% benzocaine and topical analygysics (like orajel).  The pain is simply unbelievable.  The doctor prescrived anti-virals (and I pray I got them soon enough to make a difference), and hydrocodine.  I cannot see where the hydrocodine is workig more than 20 minutes at any given time.  Let's all pray for each other.  I am with you -- I have never experienced anything like this -- other than childbirth and that does eventually end (ha).  Let's al pray for each other.

God Bless.

Lisa 

12

I am interested in shingles in the mouth. I noticed a gum boil in my mouth, not sore unless pressed on ,at the same time my blisters started to come out in my hair line ,neck and shoulder all on the left side. Could that be a shingle in the gum?

13

Could be shingles in the nerve on that side of your face. Shingles usually attacks one side not both. You should see a doctor as anti viral meds are needed soon as poss, within 72 hours of start of outbreak. Urgent care or A n E, (UK only) ER in US can supply a prescription for them. Good luck, rolleyes

14

Hi Merry19451, just been reading your posts. I hope you have had some relief from your awful symptoms and are feeling better. I've been diagnosed by my gp with shingles in my soft palate and am on antivirals. I'm not sure it is though. I started with feeling very tired and unwell for 2 weeks (very stressful start to the year, my dad died after I had to nurse him for 2 weeks and other stuff), then started with pain in front of my right ear then started with sore on roof on my mouth about 1 cm diameter with a few other spots all on right hand side. The site was so so painful and I couldn't eat or drink properly for 2 days. Then I developed a numb sensation on right hand side of my face and the numb sensation is still there a week later. The pain of the sore eased slightly after 1 day on acyclovir. I am feeling tired and run down and have been given a note for 1 week off work. However, I am not in terrible pain anymore as described by some others on this forum and have just been taking ibuprofen and paracetamol and others haven't described the numbness over the trigeminal nerve area. Is it really shingles?

15

Hi Hoxo,

It certainly sounds like Shingles as the pre-eruptive symptoms, the lesions, the pain, and yes, the numbness all on one side are classic for Trigeminal Nerve Herpes Zoster-Shingles. I am so sorry you are suffering with this disease. I have Ramsay Hunt Syndrome every three to five weeks for the past twenty years (Herpes Zoster-Shingles in the ear and get lesions in my mouth as well. I have difficulty​ swallowing due to the swelling every time. I get a sore throat, as well. I also get a facial droop and numbness on my face, right side. I usually don't bother mentioning all the symptoms I have. I certainly have insomnia for at least a week prior to the headache followed​ by a severe earache, malaise, ataxic-off balance, exhaustion, fatigue, aches and pains. As I have frequent episodes, I don't wait for the earache to appear. I start taking the Antivirals at the first inclination of Herpes Zoster-Shingles starting to stop the replication of the virus. My episodes are not as long or as intense.

I hope this has been helpful.

Best regards

Merry Juliana

16

Dear Hoxo,

Please accept my heartfelt condolences on your father's passing. It sounds as if you were a very caring daughter/son. I know only too well how caring for terminally ill parents and the grieving process can sap your energy and spirit to the core. Please treasure the time you had together and know that part of your father still lives inside you.

Best Wishes

Merry Juliana

17

Hello i have a nasty case of shingles plus a spot on my optical nerve. Its been 3 weeks since first headache. Im still dealing with eye issue's plus a sesitive fake feeling face. I feel im getting ulcers in the mouth but been on anti viral for 8 day's. Was hospitalized for 2 days before that.

I am not doi g well. Can this spread? Ulcers in mouth? Earache? Sore throat? Oh my gosh i want this to go away... Im 40 and in good health otherwise.

I lost my job this is ruining my life.

Can it spread?

Uou really have this every few weeks?

What about vaccine??

Any and all help please.

Thank you

Jimmy

18

Thank you so much for replying. I'm so sorry that you are suffering so badly from this awful virus so frequently. I think my attack was mild. I'm just left with some numbness in my face and get occasional stabbing pains in front of my ear. I was reading up on it and it says vitamin B12 can help wth the neurological symptoms. I have been self injecting B12 for 12 months and have had huge improvement in my fatigue symptoms. I wonder whether that's why my infection was mild. Have you had B12 and also vitamin D levels checked. I wonder if these are low and get rebalanced your immune system may improve. I hope you get relief from your awful recurring symptoms.

19

Yes,

My D3 levels were very low and I have been taking the appropriate 2000 IU supplement daily and they are fine now.

My B12 levels tested high normal achieved strictly through diet. As I have eaten a healthy diet, my vitamin levels were tested (when I had a second stroke) and were super high normal, except Vitamin D.

Thanks for the post, as many people need this necessary information regarding diet and vitamins!

Merry Juliana

20

Hi.  I had shingles above my groin (3 tiny blisters left side and bad pain) over 15 years ago.  Since then I have been fine.  However, 8 days ago, after being very run down and coming of steroids fora  rheumatic condition I have, I developed excrutiating burning and stabbing pain in my lower gum.  The dentist says my gum/teeth are perfect but my doctor is at a loss to tell me what's causing it.  I have had trigemenal neuralgia (12 years ago) also on the same side of my jaw but it didn't quite manifest itself like this.  I have no blisters but the inside of my lower jaw feels like a live wire.  Could this be shingles?