Natural Remedies for Shingles: Pain Relief and Healing

L-Lysine

Posted by Laura (USA) on 07/12/2006
★★★★★

I heard about Shingles before but this is my first experience and what an experience had been so far!! It affected the left part of my face having my eye pretty compromised. I'm using antibacterial ointement for my eye, and is improving. I'm very careful with cleanness, washing right away towels, pillowcases etc. that had been in contact with my face. My main concern is to avoid the possibility of infecting also my right eye. I have a big property and love to work in the garden. Well, I'll not put my hands in the dirt until am out of the woods. I had been reading about the topical and internal application with apple vinegar and i'm willing to try since I have now those ugly red scars from the rash, maybe will help to heal faster, I'll be glad to let you know. If someone wants to write to me and exchange tips, please, feel free to do so. Following suggestions from the book in Nutritional Healing - James and Phyllis Balch - I'm taking L-Lysine, Vitamins C, B complex B12 - A - regular medication. Diet is important too, maintain a possitive attitude and stay away from depression, it doesn't help at all.

Clay

Posted by Jathinder (Kent, UK)
★★★★★

I have taken this opportunity to pass on this cure for shingles after my son suffered a severe case of shingles on his face. After trying several creams by the doctor which failed to work I decided to use a powered form of clay which I mixed to a medium paste with distilled water and put in on my sons face where the shingles first appeared, only covering the blistering ares. This enabled the drying clay to absorb the liquid coming from the blisters, as I found it was this liquid from his face when spread which caused further blisters when in contact with his skin. This helped contain the shingles to a small part of his face until the virus had taken its course. I hope this is of help but I know how helpless I felt when the first bout of shingles spread over half of my son's face with the creams doing nothing to help. The clay paste needs to be applied regularly as if too thick it cracks and flakes of, too thin and it will not absorb the weeping blisters therefore a consistency which you can see absorb the weeping blisters is fine.

Ivermectin

Posted by Zander (Anytown, USA) on 07/13/2026
★★★★★

Ivermectin for Shingles?

Ivermectin seems to work at a molecular level by "gumming up" the spikes on the virus surface. The varicella zoster virus seems to look like corona virus in this regard (with the "corona" not from a beer but from /crown/ of course, owing to the spikes on its surface.) I only found limited evidence of the use of ivermectin for shingles, online. I'm creating this entry for some hoped for additions about this possibility.

How To Avoid Shingles

Posted by AB (Atlanta) on 03/07/2024

Make sure it is indeed shingles. Shingles is often the first manifestation of an internal malignancy. Not always, but often. How to keep not getting shingles comes to figuring out why she has shingles. Full blood work is a starter. There are specific markers that indicate some serious things are underneath. Ruling out malignancy is the first step. Young people get turbo cancers these days.

Shingles shot for a young person who already has shingles is a recipe for a bigger disaster

So start with blood work Just google what blood markers indicate potential cancer and do the lab work. Keep in mind her doctor must disagree or dismiss, you can do it yourself these days.
Everyone these days must have a stool test for colon cancer, it is cheap March is a colon cancer awareness month, they offer a discount. Do it annually. A family friend, a young mom has recently died, she had stage 4

If your young relative is cleared from malignancies, test her for viruses, citomegalovirus, hpylori, Epstein Barr..

Meantime I'd recommend Cats Claw supplement, L-lysine +high dose vitamin C and Arsenic Album - a homeopathic remedy I learned about here. I get shingles like rash from time to time and I start this protocol and it really works for me. I also add a trace ( not a drop) of antiviral medicinal quality essential oils to a base oil and apply externally. Young living essential oils and Alma ( former Floracopeia) is where I buy directly. Can't guarantee for other companies. Never buy on Amazon.

Do all blood work before starting the supplements

And check the shingles section here on EC site.

L-Lysine

Posted by DLee (USA) on 10/08/2023
★★★★★

My wife was having pain for about a week before the first blisters showed up and we realized it was shingles. Started L-Lysine right away, 500 mg twice per day, sometimes 3 times. Two patches developed, one about 2 inches long and maybe 1 1/2 inches wide, the other a bit smaller. Blisters were scattered over the affected area; not a mass of blisters like some have had. The infection never spread beyond those areas. Took 5 weeks to heal up. I believe that Lysine limited the development of the infection. Lysine did not seem to help with the nerve 'zaps'. A TENS unit, however, did a remarkable job at nearly eliminating nerve 'zaps' . We used a 2 channel unit. The nerve pain ran along a line that started just beside the spine and wrapped around in a downward sloping arc around to the front of the chest almost to rhe sternum. The front terminal end of the line was about 2 inches lower than the other end at the spine. TENS unit Electrodes were placed this way: 1st channel- one electrode at the starting point of the pain next to spine with its pair electrode about halfway around the line, on the side (about where your arm would fall). 2nd channel- one electrode halfway between the first pair, the other one at the terminating end of the pain path near the sternum. Used a steady, not pulsating, mode. After 90 minutes of this, no zaps for the next 12 hours, and very few zaps for quite some time after that. Only had to do this twice, about 3 or 4 days after the visible onset of the infection. After that, nerve pain was very intermittent and less intense than it had been.

Neem Oil

Posted by Peter H (Kent, England) on 06/09/2022
★★★★★

I originally thought that I found this cure for shingles at earth clinic, but apparently not. Wherever it was that I did find it, it proved to be an almost immediate cure. The magic is Neem oil and Propolis in liquid form. I painted both, rather awkwardly (it was on my back) with a soft paint brush, liquid before oil. Very soon those tiny bubbles were deflated along with the stinging.

Geranium Oil

Posted by Sue (South) on 11/20/2018
★★★★★

I think the ACV may work to some degree, but is overrated. The best is geranium essential oil on the spots, and L-Lysine with C taken heavily internally.

MMS

Posted by Cures (India) on 10/23/2015 2 posts
★★★★★

Recently my mom had Shingles and was very worried as her aunt had suffered unbearable nerve pain for many days. She used 6 drops doses of MMS three times a day and the condition gradually improved with each dose. By the third day, it was gone.

Tea Bag Treatment

Posted by Dennise (British Columbia) on 08/12/2023
★★★★★

Works like a charm on shingles rash. Once it dried up, I broke open coenzyme q10 capsules added it to zinc ointment and applied thickly. In 48 hours the rash is almost gone.

Geranium Oil

Posted by Seanjk (Norcal, Usa) on 03/03/2014
★★★★★

I was looking for an internal solution to the Shingles problems for my older mother.

I very quickly cured the external shingles with geranium oil after reading some scientific papers about geranium oil. It worked far better than anything I tried, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, etc so I thought I would pass that along. Geranium oil appears to be the magic bullet for shingles externally if my mother's case is typical.

As far as reducing the stress on the internal organs, body due the virus, I tried common antiviral organics on her after the doctors prescription antivirals failed to do anything, externally or internally, and he refused to prescribe anymore for her, even though she has an expensive private plan. The 'kind' physicians told her to go home and die more or less. He must get a bonus for not prescribing

I have her on...

2000 mg day of neem leaf extract -very, very safe strong antiviral , antibacterial, useful to fight cancer as well
2000 mg a day of olive leaf extract, strong antiviral
2000 mg a day of elderberry extract, strong antiviral, safe
6000 mg equivalent of garlic oil, strong antiviral, safe
6000 mg a day of time released buffered vitamin c,
also vitamin e, d, b-complex
and Cayenne extract

That provided some significant improvement to the stress on her, but I think I need to dose her higher on the cayenne extract. I was not watching her carefully enough on the Cayenne and she was not dosing her high enough.

There are other antivirals out there that are strong like licorice root but they can't be taken for a long time at higher doses. I had her on 2000 mg a day of licorice root for about a month.

Essential Oils

Posted by Trish (Vichy, Missouri) on 01/21/2014
★★★★★

Thanks to everyone who posted on here about your shingles treatments. I put together my "super lotion" based on the articles I read. My husband was diagnosed on Friday night w this dreadful illness. His was in his eye (and face and scalp) which was quite frightening, since it could cause blindness.

He has made a remarkable recovery in two days. We did get into an opthalmologist and used eye drops that worked immediately. They were Prenisolene Acetate Ophthamic 4x dayand Neo/Poly/Dexamet before bed. He is also taking Valtrex 500mg 3x daily. Tylenol every 4 hrs for pain. Although this lotion will settle the nerves down. : )

My formula for his skin, which is working awesome is;

2 tsp Coconut Oil
2 tsp Colloidal Silver
2 tsp Aloe Vera Gel
1 tsp DMSO
5 drops Tea Tree Oil
5 drops Eucalyptus Oil
5 drops Oregano Oil
10 drops Lavendar Oil
25 drops Licorice Root
1 capful Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix well, put in very small tupperware container and use 2-x a day and before bedtime. Hope it's a blessing to you, it works so well my husbands lesions cleared visibly throughout the day. We also prayed a lot! Feel better!

Coconut Oil

Posted by Tara (Cambridge, Boston) on 06/18/2013

Meghan, the coconut oil caused you to vomit. You should never take such a high amount to start of anything, and especially not when you are feeling so desperate. Many people start with 1/8th teaspoon and work their way up. Don't give up on the other remedies, I have tried them all and they are awesome!!

Cayenne Pepper

Posted by Mom (Arizona ) on 02/16/2025

I would be careful using tahini paste with herpes zoster outbreak as the arginine content could exacerbate the shingles rather than heal it.

Cayenne Pepper

Posted by Gus (Agnes Water, Qld Australia) on 10/27/2012
★★★★★

Hi heres my adapted paste for Shingles, adapted from thi site of course!

1tsp coconut oil.
1tsp cayenne pepper.
2tsp apple cider vinegar.
1tsp neem oil.
2tsp kaolin clay
2 cloves cut up garlic .

Combined all ingredients and applied, results in 24 hours are amazing. Applied quite frequently. regards

Essential Oils

Posted by Tony (St Paul, Ab, Canada) on 05/29/2012
★★★★★

Hi, this is about treating SHINGLES.... Put pure oil of cinnamon on the soles of the feet, and the palms, twice a day. Also I would put oil of sage on the affected areas. I have found this to be a reliable treatment for anything viral.

Eucalyptus Oil

Posted by Jo (Southampton, Hampshire, Uk) on 01/31/2012
★★★★★

Last night my whole leg was covered in painful red rash and blisters. I was at my wits end until I discovered this site. After purchasing aloe vera gel today and liberally applying it with eucalyptus oil I simply cannot believe the difference. The blisters have dried, the redness has significantly decreased and the pain has all but gone. I did try the ACV but found that it stung a lot and irritated the blisters. I did take it internally though. Last night I was writhing in pain unable to speak, today the pain is manageable and significantly better.

Baking Powder Paste

Posted by Victor (Edmonton, Alberta Canada) on 08/05/2011
★★★★★

after reading through alot of posts on this website I tried the ACV and CP rub and it did help but after doing more research and trials I found that baking powder helped the most. Found in "1801 home remedies" take baking powder and mix with enough water to make a paste. Apply paste to affected area and let dry. Helps dry the blisters and with itch. Found it works better then ACV because it's a paste that stays effective for longer then the liquid ACV. Orally I tried ACV with CP, lysine, echinacea but found the best oral remedy to be "cat's claw". It's a natural viral treatment. Taking them all won't hurt either seeing as they are all natural.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Lysine

Posted by Monica J (Western Suburbs Of Chicago, Illinois ) on 05/15/2011
★★★★★

Hi all. Just finished a recent bout with shingles and thought I would share here in repayment for the great advice I have read here over the years.

I have had shingles a few times before and found the apple cider vinegar treatment (swabbing lesions with cotton soaked ACV) has worked for me. In fact, even treated my son when he had chicken pox that same way and lessened his time spent with that awful childhood illness.

This last time was different for me however. Instead of having shingles in a 'convenient' location, grouped together on my back or leg where I could treat with ACV, dry and then coat with an OTC anti itch cream and then cover with a bandage... No, this time they appeared on my foot. And like many here didn't recognize it as shingles - thought I had some nasty spider bites. After a day or two as they were spreading, realized well into the problem that this was a new location for shingles.

Maybe waiting a day or two to treat with ACV made it less effective than it was in the past. I was able to soak my foot a few times a day in a small foot bath of ACV and that helped with current lesions. However, having it on my toes made it difficult to keep the lesions from spreading and multiplying. One area would sprout a lesion and then go thru its stages and break as it was rubbing against another toe and then that toe would have a lesion (or two) the next day.

Then I remembered this site and read thru the comments here again for another clue as to what to do. The clue was the amino acid Lysine. The lack of the amino acid in one's diet is considered to make one liable to viruses such as shingles.

I had an older bottle of bee pollen in my cabinet. Bee pollen is a 'complete food' and contains all aminos. I took three tabs immediately and then 3 every 12 hours. (Why that time? Made it up - thought it would take that long to get thru my system.)

So, will keep up with the Lysine intake and of course, keep a supply of ACV on hand in case of future outbreaks.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Lysine

Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa) on 10/11/2012

Hi Schuyler, I have sent two friends who had shingles to my friend who is a Chinese herbalist. He doesn't do acupuncture but specializes in Chinese herbalism.

One of my friend's husband was hit with a terrible case of shingles along the same area where yours is. His work sent him home saying he could not return until it was resolved. Of course, he was in pain and upset about not being able to work. He's also a scientist and when his wife told him about my recommendation for this he said he would not go there and have his tongue "read". She said fine, went by herself and told him her husband had shingles and where it was located. He sent her home with herbs and instructions and within 2 days the shingles were gone and he could return to work.

Again, I don't think I can emphasize how powerful Chinese medicine is. I hope this helps. Lisa

P.S. Forgot to mention, my herbalist friend treated his own dad successfully for shingles as well!

Dietary Changes

Posted by Ann (Deer Park, Wa) on 10/11/2009
★★★★★

After months of reoccurring shingles, I discovered that reoccurring shingles is a sign of a serious underlying health problem. In my case it was a digestive problem and when I was able to get that under control the shingles quit coming back. I have since read that many other common ailments, such as arthritis, have been traced back by naturepaths to digestive problems. My advice: take especially good care of your digestive system.