Herpes Zoster – Shingles
Shingle is a word which means belt. Zoster means girdle. The herpes zoster virus which causes shingles is apparently the same virus which causes chickenpox. When persons have chickenpox in youth, the virus apparently sets up its residence in certain nerves and when the appropriate circumstance arrives in later life, the person comes down with shingles. These are blisters which run in a band-like pattern on patches of red skin.
The rash follows the course of one or more of the cutaneous nerves that transmit sensation to the skin. Only one side of the body is usually involved, and the nerves leading to the eyes, or other vital structures, may be affected. When the eye is affected, the blisters form not only on the forehead and eyelids but even on the eyeball itself. If the eyeball is involved, it can cause blindness and requires professional attention. The affliction often comes when the body’s resistance is low, and may be preceded by smarting pain, general feeling of indisposition, and/or respiratory or digestive disturbances for two to three days prior to the onset of the blisters. These may persist for a week or two, and then dry up.
Suggestions to do:
- We suggest hot baths daily (See handout on fever treatments for instructions).
- Use charcoal compresses at night.
- Talcum powder or cornstarch may be soothing.
- The blisters should not be opened, and should be kept clean and dry.
- Aloe vera rubbed on the area of the blisters will soothe pain and promote healing. Open the leaves of Aloe vera and rub the moist part on the blisters.
- Use an alcohol extract of cayenne for the post herpetic neuralgia, the pain which follows the healing of the shingles. The extract should be rubbed on the skin where the pain appears for seven to ten days before pain relief begins.
“Healthy Lifestyle Matters in Prevention of Diseases”
For more information contact:
Amazing Natural Medicine
Email: info@amazingnaturalmedicine.org
Phone: 44- 756 24 25 749
Silvia Rojas Reyes, N.D., Health & Life Couch
(Specialist in Lifestyle Medicine, Harvard)
CNHC Registered