Learn About Treating Shingles Naturally And Effectively

Shingles is a very painful condition that can occur because of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivating in your body. This virus is also known as the chicken pox virus. If you have suffered from chicken pox in the past, or have been vaccinated against it, you might get shingles later in life.

Usually, this reactivation happens because your immune system is weakened, for instance due to an illness, stress or certain medications, especially immune-suppressing medication.

Shingles is characterized by painful and itching skin patches, often even blisters. Thankfully, you have great options for treating shingles naturally and alleviating the symptoms.

Treating shingles naturally externally

There are effective topical ointments that you can use to help soothe the itching and pain on your skin. For instance, a 2012 article in the Reader’s Digest Canada suggests that you should take a bath with added essential oils such as lavender oil and tea tree oil. This will help you relax and take your mind off the itching. It is also a great way to calm down the irritation on the skin and keep the blisters clear of bacterial infections.

The Every Green Herb website also suggests using calendula on your skin together with a vitamin E lotion. This will strengthen your skin and help against the inflammation. You can also use herbal tea bags as a topical ointment on the skin. Make some peppermint tea, for example, and once the tea bags have cooled down, apply them on the affected areas.

The Healthwyze and Yo Expert websites both recommend using apple cider vinegar on top of the affected areas. This will effectively reduce the pain you feel and will aid the healing process on the skin.

Another topical ointment you need to use when treating shingles is capsaicin, a compound found in cayenne pepper. This will quickly, when applied with the vinegar for instance, alleviate the pain in the area and promote healthy circulation that will bring important nutrients to the area. Soak a cotton bud in some apple cider vinegar, water and cayenne pepper and apply on the affected areas.

You can also try using cold on top of the painful areas. The key is to make sure you don’t break the blisters, which can cause the infection to get worse. Use creams multiple times a day on the problem areas and keep the blisters clean.

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