The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Robert (Martinez, Ca) on 02/01/2010
★★★★★
Shingles
l-lysine maintainence dose of 500 mg. plus occasional 1/2 aspirin w/lysine.Tea using bitter mellon dried,1-2 tbsp.,(called bitter gourd or 'Gohyah' from Viet Nam), together with powdered 'huang lian jie du tang', 1 tsp.,per coffee size mug of hot water. Let steep & drink. Can refresh with hot water. Use cinnamon in tea to help with very bitter taste.Items avail online or at asian markets.This is direct successful usage. Another very potent chinese herbal is 'long dan xie gan wan'. This is very potent & used if above items are not successful, & also avail at asian market or online. Follow label or online directions.Mung bean gruel will help with detox.Use minerals,especially magnesium due to diuretic effects, also b-complex for fatigue. Search homeopathic creams or use calamine for topical use.Avoid hot spicy & acid forming foods.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Wendy (La Ceiba, Honduras) on 12/18/2008
★★★★★
I read with great interest all the remedies posted for shingles. Researching a bit on my own, I came up with this concoction which has reduced itching and pain as well as sped up healing.
In a very small container place One teaspoon of coconut oil, squeezing a gel cap of Vit E oil into it...add a teaspoon of Neem oil, 2 drops of grapefruit seed extract, 2 drops of oregano oil, 4 drops of sandalwood oil, a teaspoon of fresh aloe gel and a 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric.
mix this all up and dab it on the blisters. i lightly placed a tissue over this as the turmeric will stain clothing so wear something old.
I have eliminated coffee, alcohol, nuts, seeds and have upped my intake of papaya and sardines (high in lysine).
Internally, I am taking 15 drops of grapefruit seed extract and 2 drops of oregano oil mixed with water in a shot glass, followed by a large glass or pure water every hour. This mixture does not taste good, but has very strong anti viral properties and ANYTHING is better than the pain from shingles. DO NOT take more than 2 drops of oregano....this is powerful stuff. ALWAYS mix it with water.
I am on day 5 now. i started using this protocol on day 3. The first angry patch has scabbed over and and looks much much better and the other patches have not developed blisters .....so I am hopeful for a brief experience.
Many of these ingredients are part of the Indian healing system called Ayurveda. I just added everything I researched into one method. Hope this helps you.
Neem Oil
Posted by Louise (Australia, Sydney) on 10/20/2024
★★★★★
Re Shingles
I use Neem Oil on the rash lesions a few times a day. I also take the Tea and the Leaf Extract. Neem is an antiviral and antibacterial, but it should not be used long term if you wish to become pregnant. It's also a spermicide if used long term. Neem tastes very, very bitter. Occasionally, honey helps, but you can get used to the taste.
The oil on the lesions or rash helps immediately. Pain is reduced, and sometimes itching remains, but to avoid scratching, I put more Neem oil on. I also use diluted magnesium oil but creme would do, to calmtbe nerves, this helps alot. Fluey symptoms are helped with Neem also. I take High doses of Vit C and Lysine as well along with Zinc and D.
I'm still on the 1st day, smallish outbreak managed with the above. I'll follow up soon.
Ps Teds Archive is helpful too.
Neem Oil
Posted by Rita (Merritt Island, FL) on 12/20/2022
★★★★★
Neem Oil works! My husband is 56 and noticed blisters last week. He had them once before in his late teens. I looked here for recommendations and found Neem Oil. I actually had recently purchased some organic cold pressed Neem oil and applied it to the blisters 2- 3x a day. Its not even been a week - today he saw the dermatologist who confirmed its already healing. My husband said its not only helping dry the blisters, but also helps with the pain. So glad I checked on Earth Clinic Website. This is so awesome. A few years ago I searched for a strep throat remedy and the Cayenne pepper gargle took care of that too!
Neem Oil
Posted by Peter H (Kent, England) on 06/09/2022
★★★★★
I originally thought that I found this cure for shingles at earth clinic, but apparently not. Wherever it was that I did find it, it proved to be an almost immediate cure. The magic is Neem oil and Propolis in liquid form. I painted both, rather awkwardly (it was on my back) with a soft paint brush, liquid before oil. Very soon those tiny bubbles were deflated along with the stinging.
Neem Oil
Posted by Rodney (Qld ) on 03/08/2022
★★★★★
I have had a shingle on my forehead for about 4 years. I have tried most of the remedies mentioned to no good result, I did get a little improvement using Probiotics. I tried to get Lacto Bacilus but couldn't get any.
One post mentioned Neem Cream so I got a jar from India but it took a couple of months to arrive. Well, I've been applying it with my index finger three to four times a day for the past week. Just a slight amount on my finger. Well. it has worked miraculously! It seems that it will be gone within another week. It seems oily but no more than a good quality facial skin care which the skin absorbs enhancing the effect.
In my infection I had quite a large scab. Neem reduced the scab and broke it up into several small scabs and clear healthy skin arrived between the scabs. It was somewhat tender at first but that has reduced significantly.
It's been several years since the horrific fire I was caught in that caused the shingle.
Niacin
Posted by Lucy (Santa Cruz, California, United States) on 06/03/2010
★★★★★
SHINGLES
I thought this was an old persons disease, not so. The medication they gave me did nothing for the pain, so I tossed that.
Health books always start with a fast to give your system a rest. I went on a 10 day orange, grapefruit and lemon fast with large amounts of L-Lysine three times a day. I still needed something for the pain, that went on for weeks. The pain is so intense, making it almost impossible to even sleep.
Visiting my brother, I found him taking 500 mg of Niacin every morning, was he crazy! His face was as red as a beet, but he didn't seem to care. I never took anything more then 50 mg of Niacin.
I thought if he can take it, so can I. A few minutes later my face started getting hot and tingly, but to my surprise the pain from my shingles was gone, not just slightly gone, it was gone.
I found Niacin only lasted about 4 hours before the pain started coming back. Another thing I found out is that it only worked on an empty stomach in the morning. Every day the pain became less intense. After about a week, the pain was gone. So far never to return.
Oats
Posted by Breizhbabe (Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, Uk) on 05/30/2011
★★★★★
Hi, When our children had chicken pox, which is the same virus as shingles - to ease the pain of the blisters we were advised to put some oats in a muslin cloth, tie it and place it in the bath. This produces a milk which bathes the sores and soothes. I tried this last year when I had shingles for the first time and it was very soothing. I also put calamine lotion onto the spots (you can also use this for sunburn). I currently have shingles and I think they have affected my scalp. When I wash my hair I put one drop of tea tree oil into the final rinse water and this has soothed the scalp. I wonder whether peppermint might also help. Now I have read the article on apple cider vinegar will try that. You can buy organic apple cider that isn't that much more expensive.
Olive Leaf Extract
Posted by Maggie (Philadelphia, Pa) on 07/04/2013
★★★★★
I got a nasty case of the shingles right below my rib cage on my right side a few weeks before I left for an overseas trip. It was so painful, I really thought I would have to cancel. The valcyclovir did nothing but upset my stomach, so I only took it for a few days. What really killed the shingles was olive leaf extract and vitamin C. I took 4 capsules of 20 percent standardized olive leaf extract and 500 mg of vitamin C 6 times a day for 10 days, when I reduced it to 3 capsules plus 500 mg vitamin C 4 times per day. After a month, I reduced it to 3 capsules plus 500 mg vitamin C 3 times per day and so on. It significantly reduced the pain and blisters and in 2 weeks both were pretty much gone, save for some zapping pain every once in a while. I continue to take a reduced dose just to make sure it doesn't return. Oh, and I had a great trip!
Olive Leaf Extract
Posted by Quercus (Inland Empire, California ) on 02/12/2012
★★★★★
Have had shingles on and off for several years. What really seems to knock them out is olive leaf extract. Olive leaf has anti viral properties and brought me almost instant relief during the last outbreak. I have found using the standardized extract of 20% Oleuropein in 300 mg /3 times a day worked well. I have also found that the Zyrtec antihistamine helps with the uncontrollable itching. Diet/stress for me seems to cause an outbreak. Usually chocolate and nuts are factors. How long they last seems to depend on rest, diet and supplementation. Lysine, B & C vitamins along with the olive leaf extract really helps me.
Olive Leaf Extract
Posted by Diane (Uniontown, Pa ) on 08/30/2009
★★★★★
I had read a book about Olive Leaf extract, so when my son had shingles, he reluctantly took OLE. (He must have been desperate to try one of mama's remedies, haha) I wanted him to take two to four a day (500 mg is what we have on hand) but I can't say for sure how many he did take. All I know is that he improved quickly, (a few days) and hasn't had a problem with shingles after that.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Carolyn (Canada) on 11/20/2020
★★★★★
Shingles -
Hot water made it way worse for me. Oregano oil capsules worked - at first 1 cap with each meal until some relief. Shouldn't take too long and then take 1 cap breakfast and dinner...and then drop to 1 with dinner. Oregano oil kills viruses.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Sara (The Beach, Canada) on 07/04/2012
★★★★★
My husband got a small case of shingles after the passing of his father. He is in good health and low stress otherwise, a traumatic event can bring on shingles as well as stress. Anyone who had chicken pox can get shingles if all the chess pieces fall into place, like stress or trauma or even old injury. He took a couple of drops of oil of oregano in water everyday for a month and the shingles were gone within two weeks of that month. He carried on with the oil after just to make sure.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Posted by Amy (Florida) on 11/19/2017
★★★★★
I used peppermint oil and it helped the shingle crust over in 2 days. This the second time I had it. The first time it was horrifying but this time it is one single shingle but peppermint oil not only helps the pain but accelerates the healing process!
Peppermint Essential Oil
Posted by Bondibox (Rockville, Md) on 05/19/2012
★★★★★
I found complete relief from shingles with peppermint essential oil. My impression was that the peppermint overwhelms the nerve endings, that's probably how the eucalyptus oil works. I first prepped the area with cider vinegar, but it works without that. Also, to help with my energy I found that a massive dose (8x) of Lysine daily works.
