Washington, Mar 31 : A commonly used painkiller has been found to be effective against treating the acute pain of shingles, an illness that often causes severe pain along with a rash.
The painkiller oxycodone can help in treating acute pain of shingles, which is caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, a bug that causes chicken pox.
Only those having chicken pox are vulnerable to shingles.
Older adults aged 85 have 50pct increased likelihood of getting shingles.