Herpes Zoster or shingles is a viral condition which manifests when your immunity is low. It happens on one side of the body along a nerve line. Initially it begins with tingeing/itching or numbness to finally turn into bull blown infection with blistering and oozing painful rash.
Since shingles is a viral infection, it takes its course of about 2 weeks to heal. During this period, all the medication given is generally to reduce pain, depression and seizures. The other option is to use natural remedies, is much better as there are no side effects.
Whatever you do, the viral infection will take its course of time. So time of healing for shingles is almost fixed. The challenge is to deal with the pain of shingles, and the natural remedies will help you to deal with it in much safer ways.
Following home remedies for shingles will help you to reduce pain and heal the condition.
1. Consume more Vitamin C and Vitamin B12
Both Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 increase immunity. The spread and extent of shingles spread will depend on you levels of immunity. Therefore, increasing immunity will significantly increase body's capabilities to fight the virus internally.
You may have to take supplements of Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 but consuming food higher in both these vitamins will also help.
Citrus fruits and their juices will revitalize you energy as they are rich in Vitamin C. In fact there are other foods such as bell peppers, dark leafy greens, kiwis, broccoli, berries, tomatoes and peas and papayas many of which contain more vitamin C than Oranges which comes to mind when we think of vitamin C.
Enjoy lavish servings of vitamin C rich foods during the spell of Shingles. Increased immunity will not give immediate pain reduction but it will help to fight the infection better during its course of the 2 weeks. This is more like getting ready with all the arms and ammunition to fight with the disease, then the remedy itself.
2. Hot Water Exposure
Expose the affected area to hot water for 30-60 seconds. Dip a thick small towel in hot water and take it out. Squeeze to the extent that the dripping water stops but the towel still remain wet enough with the hot water.
Spread the towel on the affected area and keep it there for 30-60 seconds. Do not use the towel for any other purpose. Disinfect and wash it with detergent before reusing on the shingles bumps.
Do it 6-8 times a day. This will significantly reduce the itch and the pain.
3. Turmeric Paste
Turmeric with its antiseptic and antibiotic works effectively to reduce spread of infection as well as to treat the infection of shingles. Depending on the size of the area of shingles bumps, you can prepare the turmeric paste in the following method.
- Add one tablespoon of turmeric powder in one cup of water and put it in a pan for boiling. Let the water evaporate and the hot thick paste form in the pan. If your requirement is more then use the same ratio to add one tablespoon of turmeric powder to one cup of water to prepare the increased quantity of paste.
- Boil it for 8-10 minutes. If required add more water to maintain consistency. We don't want to burn turmeric.
- Let the paste cool down to acceptable temperatures
- Apply it on the affected area.
Apply such freshly prepared turmeric paste on the singles affected area 2-3 times a day. Be aware that turmeric can leave colored stains on clothing or plastic. So be careful.
4. Capsaicin Cream
Capsaicin is the substance that makes red chilies hot. It numbs the nerves, therefore it is a very good pain reliever. Due to numbness the pain signals will not reach the brain and you don't feel pain. Rub the capsaicin cream 3 times a day on the shingles affected area.
You can make capsaicin cream at home by making a paste of red chilies and mixing it with Aloe Vera. Don't you your hands to touch chilies paste. The home made chilies paste with Aloe Vera will work equally well to reduce pain.
5. Take a Cool Bath
Like exposing skin to hot water, exposing skin to cold water also will help. Don't use ice or ice cold water. It may increase the pain. Just keep the shingles affected area in cold water ( colder than room temperature water) for several minutes. It will sooth the pain.
Take cool both. immerse yourself in the cold water tub for some time.