The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Vitamin C
Posted by Alexander (Louisiana) on 12/22/2017
★★★★★
I know I am responding to a very old post, but I had to add what helped me and my shingles problem. My shingles outbreaks were continously, in the same place. As soon as one outbreak would heal, another would break out. Then I started taking Vitamin C to bowel tolerance and have never had another shingles outbreak in years. Not to mention my overall health has also improved. It's worth a try.
Calamine Lotion
Posted by Michelle (Va) on 10/04/2015
★★★★☆
It is also nonsense to think you have to be 60+ to get shingles.. I'm in my 40s, and am suffering shingles in my neck and shoulder. The ER didnt think I was old enough for it and gave me a steroid for pain.. needless to say that onset the rash quicker/stronger.. Calamine lotion dried up the rash in 2-3 days but the pain is still terrible.
Calamine Lotion
Posted by Kayla (Md) on 04/27/2018
I'm 25, and this current outbreak of Shingles is my 6th (yes, SIXTH) outbreak in the last YEAR.
Yet I can't get the Shingles Vaccine. I have a 3 year old and a newborn that can both easily get Chicken Pox from me now. But nope, can't get the vaccine, I'm not 50 yet. Only 25 more years of this before I can get some long-term relief without taking pills every single day. I am so sick of getting Shingles!!!
Calamine Lotion
Posted by Gary (Kitchener On) on 02/02/2023
Hi Beverly
I know that the #1 skin care is Hemp Oil.. It works.
Best wishes
Gary
Calamine Lotion
Posted by beverly (Texas) on 02/02/2023
Thanks.............I had my husband spray his jock itch antifungal on it after my shower.......makes me laugh even saying it.......the pain is very mild compared to last night..... I think I do have some hemp oil.
Monolaurin, Vitamin C
Posted by Donna (Phoenix, Az) on 02/04/2017
What are creepy crawlers, whatever it was that followed your shingles?
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Doreen (Austin, Manitoba Canada) on 01/28/2018
★★★☆☆
Hi, I have shingles, thought I had arthritis, after a week of pain, then small rash on my shoulder, decided to go to doctor. He prescribed Valacyclovir 500mg. 2 three times a day. Sooo painful, I decided to go on earth clinic, tried the cayenne missed with water put on sores, seemed to help, but I am not getting results like everyone else, what am I doing wrong. Help Doreen
Magnets
Posted by Aj (Florida, Usa) on 01/21/2015
I would tape with scotch tape to my shirt the magnet and leave it there all day and night. The magnets help improve the blood flow and speed up the healing time.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Michelle (Los Angeles, California) on 09/29/2014
★★★★★
My 3 prong approach to treatment of shingles:
I have never had shingles before but I had chicken pox when I was 2 years of age and I am now 51 years old in good health. On Sunday night I felt my upper back was itching so I scatched it as well as my upper chest. That morning I woke up to red blisters and scratch marks on my back, shoulder, and chest. I went to the dermatologist and she diagnosed with contact dermatitis and gave me steroids by mouth and a topical steroid ointment. I used that and my lesions spread and got worse. So I went to another doctor 2 days later and he diagnosed me with shingles.
Although I was now 96 hours out of first lesions he prescribed me Valtrex and Keflex for the lesions also looked like they had a superinfection of bacteria in addition to the shingles. I also was told to take benadryl for the itching which I took for a day then stopped after I started my 3 prong approach.
I went home and researched shingles and decided to create my own treatment plan that combined western medicine and homeopathic remedies for my lesions were red, irritated, itchy, and spreading.
I have been using this 3 prong plan for my shingles the past 48 hours and I no longer have pain or itching. Also the newer lesions are gone and the older lesions particularly the ones I initially scratched are healing. My plan is definitely improving the shingles.
1. TREAT INTERNALLY: I am taking the Valtrex as prescibed as well as finishing my course of antibiotics. In addition I am drinking Apple Cider Vinegar 2 tablespoons per 8 ounces of water three times a day. I am taking 1000 mg Lysine three times a day.
2. TREAT EXTERNALLY: I soak a gauze pad with full strength Apple Cider Vinegar and place it directly on my lesions for 30 minutes three times a day. The Apple Cider Vinegar dries the lesions up and has gotten rid of the itching and pain. At night I place Virgin Organic Coconut Oil on the lesions and leave them exposed to air. Coconut oil totally soothes my skin and is helping with healing. It has anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. LEAVE LESIONS ALONE: I keep clothing off of the lesions as much as possible (my lesions are on my neck, upper back, shoulder, and upper chest) so I wear a tube top to cover my breasts at home and when at work a lose top. I stopped the steroids all together for I felt the steroids by mouth were feeding the virus and the topical steroids were totally irritating my skin making it more red and burned.
With this treatment plan I feel energized with minimal pain and itching and my lesions are healing quickly.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by DarlaDaisy (Suffolk, VA) on 03/18/2023
My husband has been taking the gut health bundle from Thorne only for a few days and It appears he broke out in the shingles. There must absolutely be a gut connection. The bundle includes Bacilus Coagulans, fiber, prebiotics and glutamine to heal your gut but I really think it provoked the shingles.
Epsom Salt
Posted by Marcie (Wv) on 07/22/2016
My dad has shingles and the doctor said LUKE WARM water for a bath, not Hot. He had the shot and they are extreme. This is from a doctor. So I'm not to sure about Hot Baths! I know. They are AWFUL. He is 78 and they are HORRIBLE
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Mr. Ree (Usa) on 06/24/2014
Licorice extract by Natures Answer...Put in on three times a day all over the infected area. It will be gone in 3 days...If you get it the first day it appears, it will dissappear the same day...Cheap fix for $8.95
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Timh (KY) on 06/25/2014 2042 posts
Laurie: Alpha Lipoic Acid or Thioctic Acid would very likely help as a nerve protector as well as heavy metal chelator (many vaccines contain small amounts of mercury which is very toxic to nerves). The compound BHT, the herb St Johnswort is anti-viral.
Chronic or recurring Shingles is a definite sign of immune dysfunction or sometimes cancer. Definitely do some detox remedies found here on E.C. Immune boosting remedies fallowing detox will be necessary. Purify your air & water. Alkalizing remedies will likely be necessary as acidosis is both the result of many conditions as well as further aggravating any condition.
Try and get some basic cancer screenings for safety sake.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Kmac (Chicora Pa) on 11/01/2018
I have heard that California poppy helps calm those nerves.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Charity (Faithville, Us) on 11/02/2018
Clove Oil
Posted by Rebel (Somewhere Usa) on 05/14/2014
★★★★★
Since shingles virus live in the spine, if I had shingles I would rub from the base of my skull to my lower back down the spine, with a few drops of clove oil. I do not know if this will help or not. But I have in the past had very bad pains in my spine and in my throat and rubbed both places with clove oil and it went away very over night. If I had sensitive skin, I would maybe dilute the clove oil. I don't have sensitive skin so I use full strength.
I believe somewhere on here Ted speaks of spinal virus and clove oil.
Eucalyptus Oil
Posted by Judyl (Philadelphia) on 05/01/2014
★★★★★
I just submitted a post in gratitude for the suggested remedies. However - I didn't realize that I wasn't signed in - since I had just registered. So please review my post as a registered participant. There was only one suggestion of the many that I printed out that recommended eucalyptus oil. Someone suggested V-Vax years ago and it was amazing in healing a damaged toe. So I dug it out and tried it again. It was so much more effective than apple cider vinegar. I like ACV as a remedy for other ailments but there was no comparison on my skin. I am so grateful to have been able to eliminate the pain within a week and heal my skin so quickly. At the age of 63 I have resisted getting the shingles vaccine even though I've had a couple of friends who have suffered from Shingles. I am so happy to have found a remedy that I can easily share with others :)
Geranium Oil
Posted by Koolteach (NC, USA) on 01/11/2015
How old is your mother? You may actually be harming her, rather than helping her. I currently have Shingles. I am taking Lysine, Vit C, B Complex, Olive Leaf extract, and more recently starting taking Royal Jelly with Propolis and Pollen in it. I can't tell you how much difference this has made in just two days.
I tried all the essential oil "recipes" for Shingles and the only one that came close to helping maybe 10 mins. at a time was Tea Tree mixed with a quality Olive Oil. I have since abandoned that and am depending on the supplements listed above. The Bee product is fabulous. I highly recommend it. I was told last week that I have the post pain and that I can expect to be a "long-time patient" while my doctor tries various combos of narcotics to fight the pain. But, the Bee stuff works great and I finally think I will get out of this hell of the virus and finally get my life back. I hope this helps you and your mom, but back off a bit, won't you? If she is older, she does not need a bunch of stuff. Just find what works for the majority of us here and go for that.
Shingles Vaccine
Posted by Anne (Arcata, Ca) on 03/02/2014
Had shingles on head, in hair, but it began with an odd red welt looking like a mosquito or spider bite on my neck (painless, itchless). They say if they diagnose it within a day or two, from this welt, they have a treatment to lessen it. I have my doubts, though. Acupuncture through an acupuncturist/herbalist that knows Chinese herbs would be something I would try right away, also, if living where there was one.
I tried apple cider vinegar on it once, but it did not work. The scalp was soggy already. I used rose water which gave temporary (only) relief. Getting a bonnet for your blow dryer to dry it if usng Apple Cider Vinegar would be a plus. Maybe internally, but I feel if I had not been run down and maybe short on vitamin c and others, but stressed and run-down from the stress, it would not have taken hold in my case. Drying the scalp might have helped, Also, to protect hair follicles, taking remedies and vits. to help hairloss if it occurs later. Then, getting to bed early can do wonders to combat being run down. Hair-skin vitamins.
Vitamins for hair are a must if it is on the head. I made the mistake of getting the new shingles vaccination about 2 years later. That was about the time I started losing hair. The vaccination made me feel a little like I had it again. I cannot blame my hair loss all on one thing. It could have been partly from vit. C deficiency and Fukishima fallout. It has been largely stopped with vitamin and even culinary herb supplements and oil treatments (castor oil). Also, plus various things I can do to increase circulation in the scalp.
The vaccination for it was probably the final straw as far as the alopecia coming on. I would definitely not ever take another.
Vitamin C
Posted by Mark (Coloorado) on 12/18/2013
★★★☆☆WORKED TEMPORARILY
My Wife in looking through burn remedies, (because that is what I thought I had) it turned out to be Shingles. Found 1000mg Vitamin C in eight oz. of water then sprayed or covered with soaked gauze. Well at first I bet I got 90% relief for the pain. and it lasted hours. But for some reason with each application the Vit c ( and we are talking the acidic powder kind) It got less and less affective. I went to 1000mg in 4 oz, to 2000 in 4 oz, to 3000 in 4oz, to 4000 in 4oz water. I think I did the 4000 only about six times, as it gets to astringent to apply. It was extremely helpful at first for the shingles pain and then for some reason it lost it's effect. The spray is a bit brutal as anything cool coming out of a spray bottle is going to make you jump.(I did Microwave for 18 sec at 1100 watts) but think it is more effective a bit on the cool side.t I used the vit-c as a spray for the first week before switching over to applying soaked gauze to the shingles.(easier less shocking) (Letting the gauze rest on the shingles about 10 sec. and then moving on. As the days turn into weeks it becomes almost ineffective. I ended up stepping down with the dosage. But I would say my overall treatment dose was 2000mg in 4 oz of water. It was revolutionary with the first few treatments.( and that was at 1000mg in 8 oz.) And I got to start the first night coming back from the clinic, and had a great reduction in pain levels. Too bad it doesn't last. I think it just starts to act differently, in that it stabilizes the pain, it makes it more at a constant rather than being buffeted by different shingles all at different pain levels. In my 5th week and still in considerable pain.
Vitamin C
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 12/19/2013
Mark, if you want, you can experiment with topical application (try a small area to test) of h2o2. The plain drugstore stuff.
Vitamin C
Posted by Little Wing (Boston, Ma) on 12/19/2013
Mark - I've posted before on this, but it bears repeating. A few years back my mother had a horrible case of the shingles. Her doctor put her on nerve pain killers, some gross gel and sent her home and said give it a few weeks. I researched and found this solution for her, she was 100% better in less than two weeks. L-Lysine, 3000-5000mg per day / ACV soaked cloth on the shingles 3-4 times a day / and the wonder salve from Durham Bee that everyone is talking about. That probably did the trick best. Please try it and good luck.
Vitamin C
Posted by Nanowriter (Hotspot, Texas) on 12/20/2013
You might want to try taking the vit C orally and not topically. The herpes virus that causes it targets nerves. Try vit C and Lysine together orally and see if it helps.
Vitamin C
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 12/05/2016
Hi Timh,
Well this certainly makes since. I will try buffering the 500 mgs dosage until I know for sure if more is safe for me. And okay, now I will get to work on my digestive system. Maybe I will try the Colloidal Silver to help clear up any infections, I have never tried that before.
When I stopped the C by evening the next day the burning was gone. There are a few pimples but there is no itch or burning.
After I work on my gut a while then maybe I will try the higher vitamin C again, (buffered of cause).
Thanks Again for your help,
HisJewel
Vitamin C
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 12/06/2016
Shingles is a Pain,
This Shingles pain flare up was of short duration. I almost forgot I used anything. O" but you will try whatever is available to keep from scratching your skin off.
I did not have anymore Lysine for pain as I was not looking for a revisit. So I took Tylenol or Aspirin. I sprayed on the Hydrogen Peroxide. Rub on the Castor oil after hydrogen peroxide dried.
That evening I even tried some Antibiotic Ointment that had been around a few years to help heal after some stitches. I was out of lemons and settled for Realemon juice in a glass of water. Anyway by the second evening no pain.
Now the challenge is as I understand through the posters and scholarly of EC is to, flee stress and eat gut friendly foods.
One of my main problems is I love a lot of acidic foods, and I do not balance them with vegetables or bitters each meal. But I am a big girl, (in size too), and I am about to eat my vegetables...... I love Earth Clinic!
HisJewel
Vitamin C
Posted by Timh (Ky) on 01/30/2017 2042 posts
HisJewel, glad to see your progress. Also, do consider St John'swort during the winter months and Echinacea during warm climate for improved antiviral response. I use Oil of Oregano softgels plus Milled Flax to keep my colon clean, then populate with probiotics and Glutamine. You may also consider some Lymphatic drainage or cleansing methods as it appears necessary in your case.
Licorice Extract
Posted by Mr. Ree (Usa) on 04/04/2014
For $8.95 it's certainly worth a try...I have always recommended "Natures Answer.' I have not tried other licorice extract...I got rid of my shingles in 3 days about 1 1/2 months after it surfaced...Then beat it twice more when it hit the same day...In one hour! I still have the bottle a couple of years later and it's 1/2 full.
Licorice Extract
Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 04/05/2014
Hello Kilee,
Re Shingles
You might also consider this: The ongoing nerve pain might be that the virus is still working. That is the virus has not been killed. Look under the Shingles (Ailment Section) on Earth Clinic and you'll see numerous remedies to deal with Shingles.
I have a post there and relate my experience with Shingles. I used a combo of Cayenne and Vitamin E and DMSO and Colloidal Silver as a salve. The CS and Cayenne were used to kill the virus; the E to make sure the Cayenne did not burn the skin and of course the DMSO was the carrier. And it too is anti viral.
Next, consider the possibility that the virus has damaged the nerves. So even if you do kill the virus, some shingles cases continue to hurt because of nerve damage. To help with nerve healing I use "AEP" and it's called Calcium AEP. (NOT just calcium.) The AEP is what you are after. Google; nutrition review calcium AEP. Great article. Dr Robert Adkins used it as primary item in treating his MS patients.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Heather (Springfield, Mo) on 10/13/2012
★★★★★
I work in a very high stress job and had a second outbreak of Shingles for the year. I immediately turned to my tea tree oil, applied I with a cotton swab and covered the area with 3m waterproof bandaid. Now three days after doing this once a day, they are well on their way to healing. The pain went away within a few minutes of applying the oil as well as the itching. I am going to keep this oil on hand at all times!
Maca
Posted by Alt-rocks (Felixstowe, Suffolk, United Kingdom) on 09/17/2012
★★★★★
For the post herpetic pain, I had fantastic success with Maca. I took 1x500mg in the morning and 1x500mg in the early afternoon to boost my energy level, but was ecstatic to find that it completely took away the post herpetic pain. A very welcome side-effect indeed!
Colloidal Silver
Posted by Sherri (North Adams, Mi. USA) on 08/27/2012
★★★★★
A 75 year old neighbor was suffering with shingles. It followed the nerve from the center of her back, around and under her right breast. The medicine the Dr. gave her did nothing to relieve her. I took a sray bottle and filled it with ionic silver. 3 times a day I sprayed it on her shingles soaking them good. I put a loose gauze under her breast to prevent skin to skin contact. I also had her drink 1 teaspoon of the silver 2 times a day. It gave her immediate relief. The rash developed but never blistered. It has been 3 weeks and there is hardly any outward sign of the shingles.
Calamine Lotion
Posted by Tressa (Mount Pocono, Pa.) on 05/27/2012
★★★★★
I'm in my 80's and got a case of shingles, the perscription my Dr. gave me was too expensive and it was to treat shingles. So I didn't buy it I saw that shingles looked like poison ivy so I treated it with calamine lotion by soking toilet paper with it, placed it around my middrift and wore a white T shirt. My shingles was gone in 2wks.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Posted by Bondibox (Rockville, Md) on 05/19/2012
★★★★★
I found complete relief from shingles with peppermint essential oil. My impression was that the peppermint overwhelms the nerve endings, that's probably how the eucalyptus oil works. I first prepped the area with cider vinegar, but it works without that. Also, to help with my energy I found that a massive dose (8x) of Lysine daily works.
Turmeric
Posted by Lou (Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-natal South Africa) on 04/12/2012
★★★★★
A reliable cure for Shingles is the crushed herb Turmeric used in curry or to boil with rice which gives it a bright yellow colour. This herb is a wonderful antiseptic for shingles. Simply take a teaspoon of it with jam or peanut butter twice a day and within a week your painful shingles is history. I use it on a daily basis but I have never had shingles and am quite healthy, I am 76yrs old. Lou
Dietary Changes
Posted by Donna (Newcastle, Nsw, Australia) on 04/04/2012
★★★★★
Last Wednesday dr diagnosed shingles. I was given antivirals. I came home in shock!
After looking up loads of information, I changed my diet. Cut out a lot of meat, juiced up loads of vegies (beetroot, spinach, purple carrots, parsley and some fruit to sweeten it) and added extra vitamin c and zinc (big healing properties there). I drank 1x 8 ounc glass before every meal. Two days in, fevers stopped, one week later, blisters are healing and no itching. I also used eucalyptus oil, which was great!
Hypericum Oil
Posted by Ernest (Newcastle, Nsw Australia) on 03/23/2012
★★★★★
I have suffered with shingles for three years on the left hand side of my face the pain has been debilitating, but I have just found a treatment that has eased that pain. That treatment is a bottle of essential oil called hypericum oil, I rub it into the painful areas twice a day. Hypericum oil is oil of saint johns wort.
