Shingles Pain Relief – Home Remedies And Natural Treatments Which Help

If lesions are not open, you may apply a drop of peppermint oil to the area for its pain relieving effects. Do not use peppermint on open lesions. Peppermint may provide instantaneous relief of pain for some people. I have used many oils in an attempt to relieve nerve pain. My favorite essential oils are peppermint and melissa. For immediate pain relief, peppermint is by far the best. Both provide antiseptic benefits.

If peppermint essential oil is not available, you may apply cold compresses of peppermint tea bags for similar effects. The tea bags may be applied to open lesions as the peppermint tea is not as strong as the oil.

You may use chilled ordinary black tea bags to relieve pain and to help soften crusty lesions. Black tea contains tannins which reduce inflammation and discomfort. Use the tea bags which are designed to make iced tea as they are larger. Do not use decaffeinated tea bags. Caffeine tightens the tissues and relieves swelling.

Lysine and Capsaicin

Supplements of lysine impair the virus‘ abilities to replicate itself and spread. Take 500 milligrams twice daily. I recommend that you continue taking lysine for the rest of your life in order to prevent recurrences of shingles.

Capsaicin is made from hot peppers. Include hot peppers in the diet if you like them or take capsules of capsaicin. Capsaicin depletes the body of a compound known as substance P. Lowering levels of substance P results in less pain.

Topical creams containing capsaicin are readily available at pharmacies. Do not apply the cream to open lesions. Use it only for prolonged pain which often occurs after the lesions are gone. Capsaicin does not work quickly. It works well but must be used continuously for two weeks in order to diminish levels of substance P. Follow instructions on the product labels.

Shingles Pain Relief – The Bottom Line

Shingles is an incredibly painful condition. It lasts a long time so home remedies are needed in addition to pharmaceuticals in order to reduce pain to a level that allows the normal activities of daily life to go on. A holistic approach is essential to speed healing, minimize pain and prevent future recurrences. Simple lifestyle interventions play an important role in the management of this debilitating condition.

Author

This article was written for Insights-on-Health.com in Nov 2013 by Patricia Bratianu RN PhD RH-AHG. Patricia has been a Registered Nurse for almost forty years in a wide variety of settings. As a Registered Nurse, she realized that conventional healthcare was not meeting the needs of all patients. She became an herbalist and obtained a PhD in Natural Health. Patricia is a professional member of the American Herbalist’s Guild, passing the stringent peer reviewed process to become a Registered Herbalist.

Pages: 1 2