Shingles

[Annarchy]

Still exhausted…. 
 

Darn, someone came over…had to help get his wheelchair over the curb, into the back yard & then back to his car.  He had a bandage over an area on his other leg, not the one that he broke…hence the chair, (Why not crutches?  IDK, big old man.), wife prodded him to secure it…. I didn’t think much about it, until….  Shingles….  Sigh….  It sucks…. I’ve broken out big time…I’ve never ever had such large patches!  ...  I’m down & out, because they are contagious and I refuse to spread them to anyone else, ever.  

 

I had chicken pox & measles at the same time when I was 3…. MIL occasionally gets a small patch, but, contact with her, usually, it only causes me a very small break out, one or two itchy blisters.  I’ve used Doco, http://www.docoshield.com/

which knocks them out in a day or two.  

Here’s an article about shingles….

https://www.healthline.com/health/shingles-natural-treatment#4.-Soothing-lotions-and-creams

 

Quote

6 Natural Treatments for Shingles

Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT— Written by Valencia Higuera — Updated on June 14, 2019

Natural remedies for shingles 

Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. The varicella zoster (VZV) virus causes this viral infection. It’s the same virus that causes chickenpox.

If you had chickenpox as a child, the shingles virus lies dormant in your body. The virus can reactivate later in life and cause a shingles rash. The rash can occur on any part of your body but typically only affects small sections. 

Pain is usually the first symptom of shingles. The rash and fluid-filled blisters form within a couple of days after the onset of pain. Some people with shingles also have a fever, sensitivity to light, and fatigue.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, about 1 in 3 people in the United States will develop shingles at some point in their lifetime. 

The shingles virus can last between two and six weeks. Shingles isn’t life-threatening, but some people experience postherpetic neuralgia. This is when nerve fibers become damaged, causing shingles pain that lasts for weeks or months after the rash clears.

There’s no cure for shingles, but your doctor can prescribe antiviral medication to help shorten the duration of the virus and reduce symptoms. 

Although an antiviral is an effective treatment for shingles, it’s not the only option. Several natural remedies may also reduce pain and discomfort.

1. Healing baths

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Daily cleansing of the blisters reduces the risk of spreading the infection. Take a cool bath or shower to soothe skin. The coolness of the water can ease pain from shingles blisters and calm itchiness.

You can also take a healing bath to reduce symptoms. Pour 1 to 2 cups of colloidal oatmeal or cornstarch into lukewarm bathwater and soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not use hot water. Hot water can worsen shingles blisters because heat increases blood flow. 

Dry your body completely and then wash your towel to avoid spreading the virus to others.

2. Wet, cool compress

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In addition to taking a bath to relieve pain and itchiness associated with a shingles rash, apply a cool, moist compress. Do this several times throughout the day to relieve symptoms. Soak a cloth in cool water, wring out the water, and apply the cloth to the rash and blisters. 

The coolness of the compress can reduce pain. Repeat the process as often as you need. Do not apply an ice pack to the rash. The coldness may increase skin sensitivity and worsen pain. 

3. Baking soda and cornstarch paste

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Create a paste using cornstarch or baking soda and water to naturally relieve itching caused by a shingles rash. 

Pour two parts cornstarch or baking soda into a cup. Add one part water to get the desired consistency for the paste. Apply the mixture to your rash. Rinse it off after 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat several times a day as needed.

4. Soothing lotions and creams

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Scratching a shingles rash can cause scarring and prolong blisters. If itching doesn’t improve after a healing bath, a cool compress, or a baking soda or cornstarch mixture, use soothing lotions and creams. 

Lotions and creams don’t speed up the healing process, but they can increase your comfort level. Avoid scented or perfumed lotions. They can cause further irritation. Find a great selection of unscented lotions here. 

Use lotions and creams sparingly. Heavy application can keep sores from drying out and lengthen the healing process. For the same reasons, don’t use antibiotic ointments on the sores. 

If you decide to use creams or lotions, it would be more effective if you applied one containing the natural ingredient capsaicin, up to three or four times per day. This is the active ingredient in chili peppers. 

Capsaicin has an anti-inflammatory effect to help ease pain. Pain may increase after initially applying the cream, but it’ll slowly go away. This cream works by reducing pain signals sent to your brain. 

Additionally, you can apply calamine lotion after baths and showers to soothe irritated skin and help dry out blisters.

5. Dietary remedies

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A weakened immune system worsens shingles. Some dietary changes can strengthen your immune system and prevent shingles from spreading to other parts of your body. Take steps to boost the function of your immune system by eating certain foods and avoiding others.

A shingles diet consists of foods with vitamins A, B-12, C, and E, and the amino acid lysine. Foods that promote healing include: 

orange and yellow fruits

leafy green vegetables

red
meat

eggs

chicken

wild-caught fish

dairy

whole
grains

legumes

beans

tomatoes

spinach

As you heal and cope with the effects of shingles, you might crave comfort foods. However, you should avoid certain foods if you have shingles. Foods to avoid include:

food and juices with high amounts of sugar

arginine-rich foods (including chocolate,
gelatin, and nuts)

refined
carbohydrates

foods high in saturated
fat

Eating too much of these foods can weaken the immune system and potentially prolong the virus. Foods with high levels of arginine can even cause the virus to reproduce.

6. Homeopathic or herbal remedies

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You might consider homeopathic remedies along with conventional therapy to help with your shingles symptoms. Homeopathy is an alternative medicine that embraces the approach of allowing the body to heal itself. 

Currently, there’s little scientific evidence that supports the use of homeopathic medicine as a treatment for any condition. Additionally, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the safety or efficacy of any homeopathic remedies. 

If you’re considering using any homeopathic remedies, be sure to talk to your doctor first. 

Some supplements and herbal medicines may also help your body fight the virus, and treat insomnia and anxiety due to shingles. These include:

melatonin

St.
John’s Wort

oregano oil

Echinacea

lemon balm

green
tea

essential
fatty acids

Consult your doctor before taking any supplements. Be sure you have the correct diagnosis. If your condition worsens, seek immediate medical care. 

The takeaway

Understand that natural remedies don’t work for everyone. Even if you find an effective natural remedy, there’s no cure for shingles. The virus has to run its course. 

However, nonconventional remedies may decrease your discomfort and irritation — and speed the healing process — when used in conjunction with conventional therapy.

 

…I headed to my medicine cabinet, only to realize, I was out of Oregano oil!  I’d asked DH to re-order it, but he didn’t.  I take it regularly, due to cold sores.  Too much sun exposure, 15 minutes, unprotected, I can guarantee my lips will break out.  I use a lot of sunscreen, wear hats & cover my exposed skin, anytime I am outside doing work.  Must!  Been dealing with it since I was a small child, 5 years old and got 2nd degree burns on my upper torso, from playing in the hose with my sister, in AZ.

 

But, ordered more oregano oil yesterday, delivery to be Monday. So, I’ve been kicked back, doing much of nothing all day, even sent him to the post office…. (Contagious…don’t wanna spread it!)

 

PTL!!!!  Overnight shipping!!!  And for a reduced price!!!  $9.99 for 150 @ 4,000 mg.   
 

Believe it or not, I can actually feel a difference already, 4 hours later.  Itching, burning, and pain are almost gone!    
 

I will continue to wash & sterilize the affected areas.  Bandage & cover them, during my waking hours, wash my hands frequently, to avoid contaminating anything in the house, etc.

 

Tomorrow is house cleaning day, and I intend to wash everything in Lysol.  
 

I would be devastated, to think I gave it to anyone, including my DH!

 

So, I bared my soul, in hopes that this info, can help anyone else, who might have to deal with shingles…no cure…..

[Jeepers]

Oh my Annarchy. I'm sorry that happened to you! That guy should be ashamed of himself. I sort of know how you feel. Sort of. I'm very allergic to plant poisons like ivy, oak and sumac, that if anyone gets around me with it, and don't tell me, I want to throttle them. 

 

I've never even had a cold sore (just lucky, I know) but I do fear shingles. I've heard they can be VERY painful and debilitating when they flare up. I've put off getting the shingles vaccine because...well, you know. I've lost all faith and trust in the medical institution. I don't believe anything they say now after this latest...well, you know. Kind of sad really.

 

But thank you for sharing your information! I'm putting Doco on my Amazon list. And I'm ordering some oregano caps right away. I have the oil for my diffuser but I'm not sure about putting it directly on my skin. I'd rather do capsules. I've also heard the sooner you get on top of the shingles the better but I didn't know what to get other than Aveeno bath soak. I really don't want shingles. 

 

I am glad you are starting to feel better though friend.  

 

[Annarchy]

54 minutes ago, Jeepers said:

but I do fear shingles.

 
Even the shingle shot can not prevent them.  “Might” reduce the occurrence.  Being no “cure”. I’m not taking it.  MIL got the shot and got shingles!  Sigh.  Please do a LOT of research, before considering the shot.
 

Seriously, I’ve used the Doco Shield for a few years,  it seems to have a light sunscreen in it also.   The company also makes one with L-Lysine, which seems to work on the small shingle blisters.  I gave one tube to MIL, she told me the next morning her ‘spot’ had completely healed & quit hurting & itching.

 

It’s the itching that is a concern, you scratch, it breaks the tiny blister & you risk getting an infection in the open sore.  Of course, once you itch it, it seems to itch more…catch 22.
 

Many people say it’s the pain, I’ve found the area is sensitive to touch, but, otherwise I don’t notice the pain…again, it’s the itch… I scratch, it hurts.  The only other noticeable symptom, the fatigue.  

 

6 hours after taking the oregano oil, it feels cooler already, no constant burning, hardly any itching from the large patches that erupted.  I’m used to the dosage of oregano, I have been taking, for 10+ years,  I started with 300 mg/4 x a day.  Taking it regularly, I never get a cold sore, even being in the sun, but, I forget to take it, quit for a while, and, spend too much time outside and notice the tingling in my lips…. Yup, forgot, now have to pay the price.  Now, I can take the 4,000 mg 2x a day & never notice any side effects.  I don’t take prescriptions, only vitamins.  
 

Tonight I will try the ACV with mother & see how that works.  With our diet being drastically changed, after his heart attack, most fats have been eliminated, plus, I do NOT eat sweets, they knock me out rather quickly.  Lol.

Oil of oregano combats viruses and other infections.  Please do your own research.

 

As, Mt_Rider & others have said, please check with your doctor to make sure it doesn’t have any side effects with any other medications you may be taking.  

[Becca_Anne]

Glad you have something to give you relief. My mom used to get outbreaks. And my son had shingles at 16 poor kid. He had such a bad case of chickenpox when he was 3. I just got vaccinated with the shingles shot and glad to get it. We all have to make our own decisions about it. May not 100% protect me but I'm willing to take that chance that it might help.

[Ambergris]

In my old house, I kept as many lemon balm plants going as I possibly could, to make teas to wash cold sores and poultices for them.  I wonder if this would be effective for shingles?  My chicken pox was bad enough to leave scars on my wrists and so on that persisted well into adulthood, but I haven't had the glory of shingles yet.

[dogmom4]

Ugh. My husband had a really bad case several years ago. It was very painful for him. I hope never to get it.
 

I caught chicken pox as a freshman in college in the dorms...they sent me home immediately. I had blisters all over...from scalp to the bottoms of my feet and places that are unmentionable...my hope is to never experience anything like that again.

 

Funny thing is I decided two days ago to order some oil of oregano caps to combat UTI’s...it’s arriving today.

[Jeepers]

What scares me the most is shingles can damage nerve fibers. That's why they can cause excruciating pain. I never had chicken pox but I slept with my son 40+ years ago who had them and I never got them. I don't know if that makes me more vulnerable or less? Now that I'm older with a grandson (germ factory) I wonder if I'm even more at risk.

 

Same thing with D-ex. Except he came down with the shingles when he was almost 70 and he said the pain about killed him. And he is no wuss. I tried to get the vaccine a few years ago but they kept running out of the serum. Then when they got in, they saved it back so the people who got the first shot could get the second dose in a timely manner. By then I just forgot about it. 

[Littlesister]

Never had the shingles but know of many that did when I was working in doctor's office. One lady had it so bad she was hospitalized. It messed her nerves up and they had to do a nerve block. She ended up not able to walk without using a walker. My brother-in-law had it so bad it was in his eye, and he had to go to an eye doctor for treatment. Thank goodness he didn't have permanent eye damage from it. But he was in pain. Couldn't drive for weeks. 

DH never got it either. I did get the shingles vac. many years ago but will not get this new one. 

[Homesteader]

I got them last year. It was a few days after my mom died. I was told that stress is a huge contributor.     Our pharmacist friend said that the newer shingles vac is much more effective than the previous one. He said to wait a year between infection and getting the shot. I'll decide this coming Sept as it will be the anniversary.    DH just got the newer vac and was told that it's a two-part regimen now. 

 

The other half of this nasty virus is that it can break out around the eyes and people have been blinded by shingles.  

[Jeepers]

Yes the newer vaccine is a two part series. That's why I couldn't get mine when I wanted it. First they ran out of it then when they finally got more, it had to go to the people who got the first shot. You are supposed to wait 6 months between shots. That was a pretty long drawn out process. 

[out_of_the_ordinary]

For those who are getting the vaccine, please keep in mind there is a period of time where you are "shedding".   I know the flu vax and measles vax shed as well.   I used to be able to find info online about the time period for the shedding, but since people had questions about the Covid vax shedding,  it looks like ALL info online concerning the shedding of vaccines is not there anymore.   

Edited May 23, 2022 by out_of_the_ordinary

[Jeepers]

OOTO, I read about shedding the other day but I can't remember where I saw it. If I see it again I'll post it. That was another reason I was hesitant to get it at the time because of being around g-son.

 

 

I found this from 2011 :

Some patients inoculated with Zostavax, Merck's shingles vaccine, shed the virus used for the vaccine through their saliva for one month after immunization, according to a researcher from the University of Texas, Houston. Zostavax uses a live accentuated varicella zoster virus to provide protection from shingles, and in January, a retrospective study showed it halved the risk of developing shingles, leading the CDC to recommend all adults over 60 receive the vaccine.

 

However, says Dr. Catherine DiGiorgio, researchers don't yet know if the varicella virus being shed in saliva and at inoculation sites after immunization is infectious. Despite the potentially sour news, there could be an upside. "It possibly could have use in clinical practice, allowing detection of shingles prior to development of the rash, enabling earlier start of antiviral therapy, and decreasing the duration of shingles and the pain of post-herpetic neuralgia," DiGiorgio said.

 

In a prospective study, researchers found virus DNA on saliva swabs of more than half of the subjects--21 to be exact--10 minutes after vaccination. Two patients still had varicella DNA on their swabs 28 days after inoculation. Merck's varicella zoster virus is also used in the company's chicken pox vaccine, and there are documented cases of indirect infection from contact with recently vaccinated individuals.

Virus present up to one month after Zostavax immunization | Fierce Pharma

 

Edited May 23, 2022 by Jeepers
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