Shingles

My mother and several friends of mine had shingles the past few years which brought about interest in the subject and inspired me to collect notes and write what I would consider a battle plan if I ever had to deal with it.

Shingles is painful to have and can be difficult to deal with. Knowing what it is, it’s characteristics and how to treat it can make all the difference when coping with shingles. Here’s a short video by Healthchanneltv which does a great job explaining what it is, what the symptoms one can expect and where it can affect your body:

It’s important to take care of your skin sores as a result of shingles. Medication can be prescribed if necessary to help deal with the sores or pains, however, some prescription pain medicines have acetaminophen, and getting too much acetaminophen can be harmful – so be sure to consult your doctor.

Natural Treatments

There are several natural treatments you can try which may help reduce the duration and pain of shingles. You can avoid picking and scratching blisters, use cool moist compresses to help ease discomfort, take a cool bath (not too cold), take healing baths such as colloidal oatmeal or starch baths but do not use hot water and make an effort to wear loose clothing. Using soothing lotions such as calamine lotion can help ease the effects of shingles. There are also creams that contain capsaicin which can be useful in reducing the pain. It is also claimed that a chiropractor can help since the virus dwells in the spinal column and spinal misalignment is a contributing factor in outbreaks and how long they last – so consider chiropractic adjustments to potentially speed recovery.

Dietary Treatments

It also goes without saying that regular sleep and a nutritious diet will help you overall. Focusing on foods that promote healing could strengthen your immune system and prevent shingles from spreading to other parts of your body. Orange and yellow fruits, leafy green vegetables, red meat, eggs, chicken, wild-caught fish, dairy, whole grains, legumes, beans, spinach, and foods with vitamins A, B-12, C, and E, and the amino acid lysine can all help promote healing.

There are foods you should avoid which can weaken your immune system and prolong the virus such as food and juices with high amounts of sugar, arginine-rich foods, refined carbohydrates and high saturated fat foods.

Vitamins and Supplements

• High-dose vitamin B12 is a time-honored treatment for shingles.
• Large doses of vitamin C are known for being helpful in reducing the recovery time.
• It would be wise to temporarily supplement with large doses of lysine of up to 2000 mg. per day (2 grams), until the shingles outbreak is gone. However, this large dosage may cause health problems if it is continued for an extended period
• Oral doses of colloidal silver can be helpful too because colloidal silver is harmful to viruses.

These vitamins and supplements are suggestions that I’ve read elsewhere, so consult your doctor and do your own reading!

Herbal Treatments

Though much research is still needed to measure the effectiveness of herbal remedies, it is suggested that licorice, echinacea, and flaxseed oil can help prevent and soothe shingles. Herbs such as St. John’s Wort, red clover, nettle, and ginseng is claimed to help protect and heal the nerves. Herbs as a topical application to blisters may offer some relief such as lemon balm, echinacea, aloe vera, goldenseal, yellowroot, hyssop, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, and calendula. Some of these herbs can be incorporated into a cream or used in tea form as a wash.

Exercise Is Your Friend

Some light exercise such as walking, Tai chi, and Yoga or perhaps meditation can help you keep calm and distract you from pain. Use this accessible tool to your advantage.

As with any advice given online, do your due diligence and research for yourself and always consult a doctor before doing any treatment. The links below are a good starting point and expand on a lot the suggestions above.

Sources

1. https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/shingle-self-care-tips#1
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/shingles-natural-treatment#homeopathic-or-herbal-remedies
3. https://healthwyze.org/reports/370-naturally-curing-shingles-and-chickenpox
4. http://www.herbalwisdominstitute.com/blog/2017/1/13/natural-treatments-for-shingles
5. https://www.everygreenherb.com/shingles.html