The viral infection shingles are not often very serious, but the symptoms can be incredibly uncomfortable so it is recommended that you visit your healthcare provider as soon as you start to recognize any of the symptoms. While there is no cure for shingles, a physician will be able to reduce the severity of symptoms you end up developing with antiviral medications. These medications can help to encourage the blistering to resolve quicker, limit the extent of pain that you might experience, and reduce the risk of developing any complications. For treatments to work though, it is imperative that the infection is caught early. Unless the case is unusually severe, the symptoms can be treated at home. Many people will also turn to home remedies to alleviate their symptoms as well, either in place of anti-viral medications or to work alongside the prescribed medications. Once you have fully recovered from the infection, it is not very likely that you will develop shingles again. Rarely, some people can end up with permanent nerve damage caused by the shingles episode, also known as postherpetic neuralgia, causing them to experience some lingering pain.