Herbal Remedies

Best Home Remedies For Shingles


These tiny microbes stay dormant in the nervous cells for years and may suddenly reappear when least expected. The chances of you being infested are high when your immune system is temporarily weak. People who have undergone an organ donation, cancer patients or those affected with HIV are at an increased risk of developing shingles because of the body’s decreased immune vigor. This helps the microbe thrive and make a comeback.

Shingles is caused by Varicella zoster, the same virus that is responsible for causing chicken pox in young children. If you have had an early bout of chicken pox when you were young, you might be susceptible to shingles.

The disease is characterized by appearance of red rashes that finally form blisters. Remember to consult a doctor immediately if you notice blisters near your eyes. This virus has the ability to attack nerves present in and around the eye, leading to impairment of vision if not treated immediately.

The after effect of shingles leads to immense pain in the area where blisters were observed, causing extreme discomfort that could even last for years.

Older people are more likely to get infected because immunity diminishes with ageing, making them more prone to a variety of diseases. The rashes take around three to five weeks to subside depending on the severity of the disease and the affected person’s immunity status. The better the immunity status, the better are your chances of coping with the disease and getting rid of the same.

Painful rashes accompanied with blisters and inflammation can make shingles an extremely difficult disease to cope with. Apart from consulting your doctor and treating the condition with appropriate medications and drugs, you can try out numerous home remedies to ease the itching, pain and in some cases even prevent the blisters from spreading to different parts of the body.

Useful Remedies You May Consider

Healthy Diet

One of the most effective ways to prevent the onset of shingles is to have a diet that is filled with immune boosters. Vitamin C rich foods, antioxidants, vitamin A, B and E are amazing nutrients that arm your body with numerous artilleries to strengthen the immune system, in turn preventing the virus from putting up a repeat performance or attacking your immune system.

Include at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables. Animal products are rich in B vitamins. Also include wholegrain in your diet to get the necessary B vitamins. Citrus fruits and greens are good sources of vitamin C. A handful of nuts will provide vitamin E.

Essential Oils: like eucalyptus, lavender and tea tree oil are extremely beneficial in alleviating the condition. Remember to dilute essential oils before using them. These oils have anti inflammatory properties and are a very good alternative to reduce the pain and inflammation.

Virgin Coconut Oil: is a safe choice to consider. Apply this topically to ease inflammaion. Make sure that you buy only VIRGIN coconut oil and not normal coconut oil for this purpose.

Tea Tree Oil: has been used for centuries by the native Australians for its anti viral, anti fungal and anti bacterial properties. It is also anti inflammatory in nature, helping in preventing or reducing inflammation in the region affected.

Lavender Oil: is very effective in soothing the rashes and decreasing the itching/burning sensation. It is rich in powerful antiseptic agents that prevent the reashes from spreading elsewhere.It provides a calming effect on your skin, decreasing the inflammation and pain.

Aloe Vera: is an amazing plant with umpteen medicinal benefits. It has been used for centuries to treat all types of skin ailments. Pluck a handful of aloe vera leaves. Break them into two and place the oozing gel directly on the rashes for best results.

If you do not have an aloe vera plant, you could try using an aloe vera gel that is available in the market. However, make sure the gel is made of pure aloe vera and is not contaminated with other ingredients or preservatives.

Mint leaves: are very helpful in cooling the rashes. Collect fresh mint leaves and crush them until they form a thick paste. Apply this paste over the rashes and allow it to dry.

Honey: is a very good healer. Raw organic honey is a better choice to consider. It is not pre treated unlike commercial honey and therefore retains all its healing properties.

Ice Pack

Place an ice pack. This is one of the most economical ways to prevent yourself from itching the affected area.

Neem Leaves

Soothe the rashes and blisters by applying a paste of neem leaves. Neem leaves have the property to kill the virus in the region, preventing it from spreading elsewhere.


If you are allergic to the any one of the above substances, you should not use them for treating shingles. In addition, it is advisable to consult your doctor before trying out the aforementioned remedies to rule out any type of drug inhibition or drug interference activity that may occur while using certain types of natural remedies.

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