Treat Shingles using natural remedies

Shingles is a viral infection that shows up as a skin rash or blisters. These can be itchy and painful. This skin condition is caused by same the varicella zoster virus (VZU) that causes chickenpox. Even after the chickenpox is treated, VZU lies dormant in the nervous system. Under certain conditions, the virus is ‘reactivated’ in your blood stream, causing an outbreak of shingles. It is usually difficult to pinpoint the reason for an outbreak since the virus responds a variety of stimuli, including chronic illness, stress, and physical trauma such as cuts and abrasions. However, your risk factor increases if you are above 60 years old. VZU is highly contagious and once it is re-activated as shingles, it can also infect individuals without a history of chickenpox. Luckily, this is not a harmful condition and the breakout of shingles disappears within a month.

Perhaps the greatest complication associated with shingles is postherpetic neuralgia. This is a form of nerve pain that can continue even after the shingles have reduced and disappeared. The pain is caused by irritation of the nerves by VZU and can be quite painful. However, it is not common, occurring in perhaps 10 percent of all shingles patients. Generally, people over 50 are more at risk from long-term, chronic pain. Some studies claim that steroids and antiviral drugs can prevent postherpetic neuralgia if the treatment begins immediately on appearance of shingles.

In response to your question, there is no scientific evidence that intense summer heat has any negative effect on shingles. In fact, some people believe that exposing the shingles to sunlight eases the discomfort. If you are worried about the heat, try applying a cold compress (some ice in a plastic bag will do) for peace of mind as well as relief from the itching and burning. Try not to leave the compress on for more than 20 minutes, since prolonged cold can damage cells. You could also try a hand towel soaked in cold milk. If you are suffering from pain, try and include some relaxation techniques such as meditation. Reducing stress will also help you to manage pain more naturally and avoid over-medicating. In your daily diet, try adding some cloves of raw garlic or get a garlic supplement. It has excellent antiviral properties that could speed up the healing process. Flaxseed oil is also believed to promote healing of the skin and nerve tissue. Most importantly, avoid touching or scratching the shingles and try to keep them clean and dry.