If you are itchy, you can bath in water with baking soda. Some lotions and antihistamines may also help relieve the itching. Vaccination is currently recommended for children, as well as immunocompromised individuals such as those with HIV infection or on chronic steroid treatment. It is also recommended for susceptible family contacts of immunocompromised individuals, and for health care workers. This means that although testing raises the cost for non-immune patients, it avoids unnecessary immunization for many others.
Testing is optional, and there is no harm in vaccinating already immune individuals.
It is unclear whether vaccination changes the incidence of shingles in later life. The vaccine is given as a subcutaneous injection in the upper arm. Vaccination should not be given during febrile respiratory illness, and should not be given to patients with a history of allergy or sensitivity to neomycin or gelatin. Vaccination should be deferred for 5 months following blood transfusion. After being vaccinated patients should avoid aspirin products for 6 weeks to limit the possibility of Reye's syndrome.