The meds are retrovirals, like acyclovir. Shingles (chicken pox) is a herpes virus. Here are some websites with treatments:
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-a...tment-overview and
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shi...nts-and-drugs.
It is painful. My late FIL got it shortly after we were married, before the retrovirals came out and he was in a lot of pain. My dad developed it later after they came out and I think he had an easier time because he took them.