Naturally Treat the Pain and Blisters of Shingles

Shingles develop from a viral infection that attacks the nerves in your spine. Shingles can come from having chicken pox as a child and years later as an adult the virus reappears. But it can also happen when an adult gets chicken pox, that's why chicken pox can cause more complications and is more serious for adults than for children. The virus that causes chicken pox stays in the system (this is why someone who has had chicken pox can't get it again) and can show up years later in your adult life due to a number of reasons and first appears as an itchy, painful rash followed by blisters that appear on the spine. The blisters last for about a week and are accompanied with fever, fatigue, and weakness. The condition can last anywhere from two weeks to a month and is very painful. There are a number of natural treatments you can apply to help reduce the pain and blisters caused by shingles.

To dry the blisters you can try some French clay and tea tree oil. Mix a teaspoon of water with enough of the French clay to make a paste, then add one or two drops of tea tree oil. Rub a small amount of the mixture directly on the blisters, preferably with a latex glove. Cover the mixture with a gauze and securely place the gauze over the blisters. Leave it on for a couple of hours, then remove the gauze and clean the area with a clean, warm cloth. You can apply the paste a couple of times a day. Because of the exposure to the blisters, if someone else is applying the mixture make sure they have had chicken pox.

Treating the shingles with activated charcoal can help remove the virus and quickly heal the blisters and reduce the pain. Add water to the activated charcoal and cornstarch or flaxseed to make a paste. Let it sit for twenty minutes and then apply it to the blisters. Follow the same treatment procedure as you did with the French clay but leave this mixture on for twelve hours and then wash it off with warm water and a clean cloth. You can also apply this treatment as much as you need. Another natural treatment to speed up the healing process is to apply some hydrogen peroxide every two or three hours to the blisters. The gel helps clear up the blisters.

Homeopathy can quickly reduce the pain of the blisters. Take a 6X potency of Rhus tox during the blister stage every three or four hours until the blisters heal. Another natural homeopathy treatment to help reduce the pain and heal the shingles is to take 30x potency of Arnica Montana four times each hour. Take this when you first get the pain and stop taking it after the pain goes away. Applying some capsaicin can help reduce the pain by numbing the nerves that send pain signals to the brain. However, this can take a couple of weeks before the pain subsides.

Taking 1,000 mg a day of Lysine and 50 mgs twice a day of Alpha-Lipoic Acid can help reduce the recurrence of shingles. Taking MSM can help to reduce the swelling and muscle soreness. Take 1 gram a day of MSM. Increasing your intake of supplements and vitamins, such as vitamin C, which boosts your immune system, can help prevent shingles. Take 2,000 mgs a day of vitamin C.