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.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Forge On! (Midwest Of Usa) on 01/06/2022
★★★★★
Yes, drinking ACV (ALWAYS diluted! ) helps. However, my 2-cents here......I had shingles on my face & eye over 10 years ago. Using DILUTED ACV in a spray bottle (or gently dabbed) helped relieve / reduce itch. Probably also prevented scarring......
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Clare (Uk) on 01/06/2016
I've got shingles on my face and I have just started using cider vinegar and drinking it! If my rash doesn't scab over bur just heals am I contagious still??
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Joe (Bay Shore, New York) on 05/17/2015
Next month I will be going into my 2nd. year Post Herpetic Neuralgia, I stopped taking a Statin my Dr. had me on ( Weakens Immune System ) increased daily Fiber 30 grams daily, Vitamin B, it is the V1 nerve of Trigeminal, I place a small Lidocaine patch ( 1x1 inch ) behind ear, it helps me to sleep better, try it. It is ever so slowly leaving ( Myelin Sheath getting better I assume ). I threw Lyrica into the garbage, that didn't agree with me, made things worse.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 11/24/2015
Dear Frank,
So sorry to hear that you continue to be in pain!
I would try some Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. Start with 1 Tablespoon internally and work up to 3 Tablespoons a day if it suits you. Try at least a few weeks.
I would also try baking soda baths. 1 cup of baking soda in a warm/hot bath 3 nights a week.
I would also try applying the coconut oil topically to the pained areas.
I hope these help and that you feel better soon!
~Mama to Many~
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ana Maria (Waterbury, Ct) on 09/09/2012
Apple cider vinegar for shingles does work should also drink it besides applying to the rash. Two to three caps of apple cider with a glass of water or in a bottle (drink some before adding). Apply with a cotton ball avoid touching it and wash hands frequently. I also bathe with it take a bucket half warm water if in the shower and put half cup of apple cider oder goes away quickly and pour it all over your body after bathing if in a bathtub then pour 1/2 cup. After bath use organic coconut oil they sell it in health stores (also the vinegar should be with the mother brand less than 5 dollars) and supermarkets in the organic section. Silver spray and liquid. The spray you apply to rash kills bacteria and viral great use for immune system. The liquid can take a teaspoon awesome results. No pain so far and rash is shrinking quickly (no meds refused after seeing side effects) Take also 1000mg of Vitamin C and cayenne capsules with a meal. Peppermint cream on rash before sleeping for a good night rest and if the rest of body hurts apply as well will sleep. After all is gone if pain persists seek Acupuncture doctor best bet! ;) Good luck!!!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Maria (Marietta, Ga) on 05/14/2012
★★★★☆
I have had shingles pain for one year. I am taking lyrica, but does not help much. Out of desperation, I searched this wonderful site and so many people mentioned ACV. I had a large bottle at home and took 2 Talbespoons. with a glass of water and the pain was reduced a lot. I can smile now. There is still pain, but I will continue to take the ACV and hopefully, my shingles will be gone forever!!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Angela (Honchurch, Essex, Uk) on 02/25/2012
★★★★★
What a wonderful website. Came across this when I did a search for treatments for Shingles which I was diagnosed with yesterday. Having read most comments on ACV I called my husband on the phone who was out shopping to get a bottle from Holland and Barrett (£1.75) and applied it with cotton wool as soon as I got it. Unbelievable but true. I applied the soaked cotton balls to the blisters and rash on my face around my mouth and up my cheek round to my ear on the left side of my face and the relief was instant. I could hardly believe it. I am still taking anti viral drugs but they do not help with the burning sensation, ACV does. So now I will apply it every 1-2 hours. It really made a difference and it is such an inexpensive solution. Thank you all for discussing ACV on this site, I would never have thought to try it:) THANK YOU
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ray-ray (East Northport, New York) on 05/13/2012
★★★★★
My wife (50) had her second bout of the Shingles. Last time was about a year ago. This forum completely changed her visable rash on her left thigh overnight. She applied Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother) with a cotton ball and drank 2T ACV. Had breafast that had some raw local 100% pure wildflower honey in it and organic extra virgin coconut oil (cold pressed) too.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Nalatie (Farnham, Surrey) on 11/19/2011
★★★★★
Thank you so much to this site for saving me! I have Shingles so badly on my face/scalp/eye. So bad that my GP sent me to A&E eye clinic. The blistering and swelling has been so intense that I could not sleep from pain. After researching how long shingles could take to settle down I worried about my face and cancelled every appointment for the next 2 weeks. Suffering badly and fearing the worst I researched more about home remedies and came across this site.
I have used just ACV directly on the blisters on my face (Dabbed on cottonwool) and within 12 hours the blisters looked better. After 24 hours they have totally dried up and are completely calming down. I am still dabbing the blisters every 3 hours. Along with Anti Virual, antibiotics and pain killers the blisters are less painful. ACV alone HAS helped and been the cure. ALos taking one cap in water. Take what you can as ACV is the best cure. Don't be afraid just dab it on and keep persisting as it takes the pain away and also the yellowness from the blisters!
Thank you to everyone that has written about this unbelievable aid to an extremely pain and horrid virus.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Autodinman (Modesto, Ca) on 10/20/2011
★★★★★
55 years old and first time credit card size rash showed up on upper arm near elbow. Like many, I figured I must have scratched the area while carrying redwood or maybe brushed against a "gopher plant". Once I read all of your comments, I knew it must be shingles. It is; blisters, redness, pain. I saw that many of you applauded ACV. So, I went home and applied a cotton swab with ACV. Only put it on for a minute. The next day the blisters are subsiding and the rash is going away. I'll reapply tonight. Thank you all.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Amanda (Anchorage, Alaska) on 09/17/2011
★★★★☆
I would like to say this information was very helpful! I've never had shingles before and had four docs misdiagnosed me until they got it right! At 29 years old and coming down with a unknown rash in well, a very fragile area that started at my tail bone and wrapped down and around was one, very embarrassing and two, didn't feel the best!
I woke up this past Sunday with the shingles and never had a sign that it was coming.. Nor the true signs of symptoms.. No pain.. No itch.. No burning.. I guess in that part I was rather lucky.. When I went to the doc that diagnosed it I was already past the point of the anti viral meds working.. So I was looking for anything herbal that might help clear them up faster.. So I bought the gallon size bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar and started cleaning the affected areas right away.. Not gonna lie.. Yes it burns.. I started with one good soak and scrub and noticed a difference right away.. Later that night I did another soak and scrub and by the next morning I noticed the sores had already dried up and swelling had gone down! Now two days later it's dark.. And dried up.. Wouldn't say 100% gone.. But much better then what it was when I started..! I'm following up with zinc oxide ointment and lysine vitamin.
I would like to say thank you as reading everyone else's first hand experience has been rather helpful. I think a few good more soaks and scrubs and it will keep getting better and better.. And will heal up faster compared to if I would have just let it runs it's course as the doctor stated.. It's a pretty nasty experience and embarrassing.. I think I showed my bum to more people in the past week then my entire life.. Best of luck to everyone who experiences shingles!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sam (London, UK) on 05/17/2009
★★★★★
Hi all, in January 09 i came down with a case of shingles on the right side of my face. It was excruciatingly painful. Once the blisters had cleared up and I could again open my eye, I thought I was on the mend. However I was left with neuralgia in the nerve endings in the right side of my face and head. I went to the doctor to see what he could give me for it as this was preventing me from sleeping each night and I was slowly going in insane. The only thing he could suggest for me was anti-depressants. No way! Not for a pain on my face, however much it hurt! So to cut a long story short I did a lot of research. ACV kept coming up over and over. One morning the pain was soo bad and frustrating as I could'nt keep my fingers from it that I couldn't leave the house. I remembered that I had brought the ACV to try and took 2 tablespoons of it in desperation. Magically the itching and burning sensation stopped almost within minutes. I thought I was imagining it. However I continued to take it every time the pain came back and each time it had the same affect. 2 tbsp every couple of hours. Or whenever you feel the need. Hope you find this helpful. Take care
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Kelly (Lake Cathie, N.S.W-Australia) on 03/05/2009
★★★★★
What I first thought were infected insect bites turned out to be shingles. While I did not have any pain, I had extremely itchy lumps that blistered and spread till they formed one large area on my neck and were popping up in other places as well. I had tried various things like hydrogen peroxide, aloe vera gel and betadine but they only gave temporary relief from the itching and did not stop them spreading. I remembered your site and read about using ACV for shingles and thought I would give it a go before I gave up and went to the doctor. I just used a cotton-ball and dabbed it straight onto the whole area that was affected every couple of hours. It gave me immediate relief from the itching (although it stung a bit for a few minutes) and within a couple of days it had dried up completely, the scabs were healing and it had stopped spreading. It is now about a week since I started using ACV and the shingles have virtually disappeared. Thanks heaps!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Ja (Burlington, Vt) on 12/26/2011
★★★★★
Follow-up.
YEA! ACV is a big help. I can definitely say that over the last 5 days ACV has drastically helped alleviate my shingles. The first few days the skin on both arms were a flaming scarlet red with little dots appearing like crazy. For the first few days I diluted the ACV with about 2-3 parts water and would use a compress for about 40 minutes, 2-3X per day and then daub with full strength. The first day I used a full strength compress and my skin was really irritated from that.
I then would daub any new little red dots with calamine lotion and that over the course of a couple days dried them up. I was really impressed with the results of the combo of ACV and calamine lotion. Finally yesterday my arms began to return to normal, but it took a few days to get there. The last 2 days my arms are looking so good I only do 1 compress and ACV daub/calamine lotion per day.
My flaming red arms are now retuning to their normal color. I have a few other small areas to deal with--but my arms were the worst. At one point they were flaming red 12"x 4" and I never saw anything so virulent and rapid. I'll list some things I've learned to help you.
1. Dilute the ACV with 2-3 parts water for a long compress. Then daub with full strength.
2. Let dry and apply calamine lotion to any small red dots and let it dry. Wear loose cotton clothing. And drink at least 2 oz per day of ACV per day--dilute with 6 parts or more of water.
3. I would take a Benadryl capsule with antihistamine if there was any itching. Sometimes the itch urge can drive you crazy.
4. I beefed up my vitamins and took a good multi, 2000mg of C, and a B Complex.
5. Wash with cool or tepid water and minimal mild soap. Warm or hot water only aggravates the skin. When you wash you are throwing trauma at your skin.
6. Try to rest and don't eat any junk food. Also no sugar, coffee, choclate, nuts, strawberries and spinach--they will aggravate your skin.
7. Any rash on your face--get to a Dr.
8. Shingles is a virus and will run its course. Once you have it all you can really do is to alleviate the pain and itchiness and keep the shingles from being infected and to reduce the dots as fast as you can. ACV with calamine worked for me.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Stan (Glendale, AZ)
★★★★★
I read the ACV cure 3 days into a breakout of shingles and started taking a teaspoon twice a day in water. My shingles were gone in another 4 days. A month later, I got an itch and the small beginning bumps on both my right wrist and side, I started the ACV immeadiatly and the breakout never happened! Seems to work as a preventative too.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Anna (Mississippi) on 09/14/2017
Try taking lysine max of 2000mg a day and also grapefruit seed extract. This seems to shorten my heal time. Ice cold baths and ice packs also help with the pain. Hope you heal soon.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Art (California ) on 11/25/2015 2326 posts
Frank,
If you can tolerate aspirin with no problems, you can try topical aspirin. Mix the aspirin in vaseline intensive care lotion and apply to painful areas.
Here is a study that did just that to good effect for herpetic neuralgia relief.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11703529
I've used a combination of ibuprofen and aspirin for myself and it is helpful for me. Both have antiviral properties though no studies specifically for herpes zoster, but ibuprofen shows potential toward Ebola virus!
Art
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Art (California ) on 11/25/2015 2326 posts
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Karen (Mi) on 02/05/2015
Glad you found relief! I was just wondering why the doctor gave you antibiotics? Shingles is a virus.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Jo (Pearland, Texas) on 02/20/2015
Just tried ACV and it's helping ease the itching and pain. My advice to all who've had chicken pox to get the shingles shot. I've had shingles twice...first time before getting the shot and the pain was tremendous. I have shingles again and because I'd had the shot the pain and itching is minimal but still troublesome. It appeared on back of my head and neck so after showering I poured ACV through my hair and it's helping to ease the problems. Didn't dry hair or comb...just towel dried it letting it go where it may. Thanks to all who have added their comments here...been a tremendous help for me.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Sb (Raleigh, Nc) on 05/11/2012
★★★★☆
I want to share my experience! I just found out that I have shingles. Today is Friday, last friday I felt a few funny pains in my back and around my ribs. By saturday afternoon I had a lot of pain in under and around my right side/ribs. I think the location threw my Dr off because he was thinking Gall bladder. The blisters had not popped out on my back yet. That night in pain I searched gallbladder remedies and found one suggesting drinking ACV. I drank some that night and again in the morning. By noon the pain was abating. Also, the rash was coming out but it just seemed like a couple itchy bumps or bug bites. My back itched, I had no idea it was shingles so I scratched it. Since I felt better I didn't drink anymore ACV but today I noticed the rash had spread. I went to the Dr and he dx'd shingles! I can only believe that my symptoms improved so much because I drank ACV. My blisters only itch, they are not painful. I have Valtrex to take now and in addition to that I plan to continue taking ACV and also to put it on my blisters. I bet if I hadn't stopped using it I would be healed already!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by A Believer (Muskoka, Ontario Canada) on 04/03/2012
★★★★★
Shingles are affecting my neck, face and scalp, I took the advice of earlier posters, and use the ACV as an alternative to shampoo and harsh soaps that might infect the area and cause scaring alopecia. The ACV really does help take the burn and itch out of the blisters, and my hair is clean and healthy looking.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Dkimb (Redondo Beach, Ca, Usa) on 02/24/2012
★★★★★
I want to thank you all for the great tips ~ I found them late at night, when I realized I was indeed coming down with what could have been a terrible case of shingles on my face, close to my eyes, which was pretty scary. While waiting to find out how soon I could see my skin & eye doctors, I applied a lot of apple cider vinegar, and also took it in tea, and added l lysine and Brewer's yeast (great source of B12). EVERYTHING calmed down! I still have a case of shingles, and am now on the med, but not stopping any of these other things, ESPECIALLY Apple Cider Vinegar, it has made a huge difference. The itching, burning, tingling is all but gone, the blisters that had started already are drying up (in 1 day! ), and other blisters I really feel have been halted. I will complete my whole course of meds for the week, with ACV applied all the way. I would never have thought of this, but it is unbelieveably effective ~ so to all of you here ~ THANK YOU, so much. This could have been really awful!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Maggiemae (Dearborn, Mi) on 11/21/2011
★★★★★
Looking for relief for pain from shingles--ear, neck, head. Just tried 2T of ACV (followed by a little honey) and got instant relief. Also applied to my bumps and blisters. It's as close to a miracle as I've seen! THANK YOU! Also, going to look up morton's neuroma....
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Happsoul (Frisco, Co) on 10/24/2011
★★★★★
I have shingles. I found this website at 2:00 in the morning on day 2 of shingles. I was in extreme pain. I was desperate. I had raw unpasturized apple cider vinegar and drank one ounce to start with and immediately the stabbing pain got better. I was able to sleep. I used it every 4 hours but did reduce the dose to one -two Tablespoons. I added lysine and cats claw. By the time I saw the doctor I was much more comfortable. I have been able to sleep and have not used anything for pain control other than the three I mentioned. I did start on an anti-viral 12 hours later. I have continued to use the ACV every 4 hours for pain control. I use it locally and take 1 TBS orally. I am SO GRATEFUL for this site and for this information.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by CJK (Augusta, ME) on 06/30/2009
★★★★★
Apple Cidar Cinegar cured my shingles. I'm 37 yrs old and was shocked when my dr. said the word shingles!! I thought it was a spider bite for the 1st 2 days, and then on the 3rd, it started to blister. That's when I knew, something was very wrong. My dr. prescribed an anti-viral, and antibiotic, and pain med. By the next morning I was in so much pain I cried, I decided to surf the net to see if I could find anything useful. Thank goodness I came across this site! I immediately went to the store and picked up apple cidar vinegar, L-Lysine and Vitamin C. The ACV was a miracle!!! I didn't drink it because my stomach was already upset from the med's. I applied it to large gauze pads and wrapped it with seran wrap. After an hour I removed it and it already looked better and definately felt better. After 3 days the blisters are level with my skin and are not as painfull. I can only imagine what would have happened without the ACV. Try it, what do you have to loose?.......... besides horrific pain!!!! THANK YOU, Sincerely, CJK
