If you have ever suffered from shingles you will know what an excruciating burning sensation the viral infection can cause. About twenty five thousand people in the UK get shingles every year. Now, a strange cure in America has been approved by the FDA with its active ingredient coming from chilli peppers called Qutenza patch. According to Dr. Matt McCarty at the Balcones Pain Consultants USA "This is toxic, if you were to breathe it in or get it on your eyes it would be devastating in terms of burning, so a lot of caution has to be used." However in the UK we have a much less dangerous drug called Valtrex with its active ingredient Valacyclovir similar to what is in Zorivax cream for cold sores Most shingles sufferers have had chicken pox years before. The virus remained dormant in the spine, until one day it invades the body, enflaming neurons or nerve endings under the skin. Shingles rash starts as small blisters on a red base, with new blisters continuing to form for three to five days. The areas that are typically affected are the head, abdomen, neck, face and arm or leg. In rare cases, areas of the face like the nose and eyes may also be affected. Shingles can be spread from an affected person to babies, children, or adults who have not had chickenpox. Instead of developing shingles, these people develop chickenpox.