Natural Remedies for Shingles
Shingle is a viral infection which leads to the development of a powerful rash. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has found out that one in every three people will suffer from shingles at any point in their life. Varicella-zoster virus causes shingles. Incidentally, this is the same virus which is responsible for the development of chickenpox. For people who had suffered from chickenpox in their childhood, shingles virus can attack at any point in their life since it lies in a dormant stage in such people. Though shingles can occur at any point in the body, the rashes in shingles make their appearance in a small region.
It is commonly known that there is no treatment for shingles; doctors also recommend antiviral medications for shingles. However, these are not very effective remedies for shingles; therefore, several natural remedies for shingles have also been recommended for getting relief from this ailment.
- Healing Baths
If daily cleaning of blisters is done, it will reduce the risk of spreading of shingles and is one of the effective remedies for shingles.
If you are taking a healing bath to get some relief from shingles, application of cool and moist compress should be the next step in the series. This should be done several times in a day to get some relief from shingles related problems. For trying the wet cool and compress technique a person needs to soak a piece of cloth in cool water and apply this cloth to rash and blisters after wringing out the water. The cool compress can reduce the pain similar to a bath. The process is to be repeated as often as needed. However, care should be taken that ice pack should not be applied to the rash. The coolness from ice might also increase the sensitivity of skin as it can worsen the pain.
For curing shingles, you can create a paste by using cornstarch or baking soda in water. This will certainly relieve itching which is caused by shingles rashes. For doing so, two parts of cornstarch or baking soda should be poured into a cup. Water should be added to achieve the desired consistency. This mixture should be applied to a rash and can be rinsed after 10 to 15 minutes. This process can be repeated several times in a year.
If scratching of shingles rash is done, it can cause scarring and blisters. Soothing lotions should be applied when other treatment options do not work. Scented perfumes and lotions should, however, be avoided as these can complicate problems related to shingles. Most of the creams used for shingles are known to contain capsaicin three to four times in a day. It proves to be one of the effective remedies for shingles. The anti-inflammatory effect of such creams eases the pain from shingles. Calamine lotion can also be used to get relief from shingles and can be applied after bath.
Weak immune systems worsen the condition related to shingles. Such people need to make some dietary changes to strengthen the immune system to get relief from shingles. A proper diet is one of the essential remedies for shingles. Foods which promote healing in case of shingles include leafy green vegetables, red meat, eggs, chicken, dairy, and orange or yellow fruits. However, foods and juices with a high amount of sugar should be avoided in case of shingles.
- Homeopathic remedies
Alongside conventional home remedies for shingles, homeopathic ways can also be tried to get relief from shingles. A homeopathic doctor would be the best person to advise you suitable treatment option. Some of the homeopathic medicines include hypericum, cantharis, and mezereum. In addition to this certain supplements can also be tried to get relief in shingles. These supplements include lemon balm, green tea, and oregano oil among others.
However, you should keep in mind the fact that natural remedies for shingles do not work for every person. It is a viral disease, and the virus will run its course, once a person is affected. Medications and natural treatments will only reduce the pain and discomfort in shingles. Therefore it is said that shingles do not have any medicines which offer complete relief. The intensity of shingles can last from two to six weeks. This is not a life-threatening condition, and therefore you should not worry or fear. Take adequate precautions, and you will be safe always.
