Many people have experienced the misery caused by shingles. There are some remedies for the pain they cause, but not for shingles itself.
It may be helpful to first understand what shingles actually is. Essentially, it’s chicken pox come back with a vengeance. The varicella virus never actually goes away once a person has had chicken pox. Instead, it goes dormant deep in the spinal column. Something may happen to the body, such as extreme stress, or immune system suppression and suddenly, a person wakes up one morning with a fever, extreme soreness on one side of the body, and possibly, painful red sores.
The varicella virus has been resurrected and is traveling along the root nerves in the body as shingles, inflaming them and causing intense pain. Many have likened this pain to being burned with a cigarette, or having a cigarette lighter held against their skin.
Because it is caused by a dormant virus, home remedies are not usually of much help for the virus itself. Instead, they focus on alleviating the symptoms and keeping the sufferer comfortable. When treated within 24 hours of symptom onset, a person will usually have a much lighter case, and symptoms will be more manageable. Doctors can give an antiviral injection that will help, and can also prescribe lidocaine patches, but these are expensive.
One good home remedy is oatmeal baths or the use of oatmeal soap. This can help soothe the burning sores. Another over-the-counter remedy is calamine lotion or any kind of lotion designed to deal with burns or insect bites. Putting the lotion in the refrigerator first will make the application a cooling relief. Ice can be used for very short periods — 3 to 4 minutes at a time. The same applies for a bag of frozen peas or corn. Aloe vera gel for sunburns may also help, if it has benzocaine or lidocaine in the mixture. It can go in the refrigerator as well. The nerves themselves are inflamed, so anything cooling is a relief.
While there are several home remedies available to help ease the pain of shingles, a person should always seek medical attention first, in order to lessen the severity of the outbreak. Anyone who has a suppressed immune system or is older should learn the symptoms of shingles and call a doctor immediately if he or she thinks an outbreak is on the horizon.
