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.
Eucalyptus Oil
Posted by Judyl (Philadelphia) on 05/01/2014
★★★★★
I just submitted a post in gratitude for the suggested remedies. However - I didn't realize that I wasn't signed in - since I had just registered. So please review my post as a registered participant. There was only one suggestion of the many that I printed out that recommended eucalyptus oil. Someone suggested V-Vax years ago and it was amazing in healing a damaged toe. So I dug it out and tried it again. It was so much more effective than apple cider vinegar. I like ACV as a remedy for other ailments but there was no comparison on my skin. I am so grateful to have been able to eliminate the pain within a week and heal my skin so quickly. At the age of 63 I have resisted getting the shingles vaccine even though I've had a couple of friends who have suffered from Shingles. I am so happy to have found a remedy that I can easily share with others :)
Essential Oils
Posted by Mary (Montana, US) on 03/28/2014
★★★★★
For shingles.. Ok pure and simple 1/8 cup of coconut Oil, 10 drops each lavender, teatree and euclyptus oil. Apple to areas that are infected with shingles. Feel the relief of taxing your immune system with the pain and discomfort of the virus. Also, applying peppermint oil with coconut oil to your feet will also help with getting a restful sleep.
Geranium Oil
Posted by Seanjk (Norcal, Usa) on 03/03/2014
★★★★★
I was looking for an internal solution to the Shingles problems for my older mother.
I very quickly cured the external shingles with geranium oil after reading some scientific papers about geranium oil. It worked far better than anything I tried, apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, etc so I thought I would pass that along. Geranium oil appears to be the magic bullet for shingles externally if my mother's case is typical.
As far as reducing the stress on the internal organs, body due the virus, I tried common antiviral organics on her after the doctors prescription antivirals failed to do anything, externally or internally, and he refused to prescribe anymore for her, even though she has an expensive private plan. The 'kind' physicians told her to go home and die more or less. He must get a bonus for not prescribing
I have her on...
- 2000 mg day of neem leaf extract -very, very safe strong antiviral , antibacterial, useful to fight cancer as well
- 2000 mg a day of olive leaf extract, strong antiviral
- 2000 mg a day of elderberry extract, strong antiviral, safe
- 6000 mg equivalent of garlic oil, strong antiviral, safe
- 6000 mg a day of time released buffered vitamin c,
- also vitamin e, d, b-complex
- and Cayenne extract
That provided some significant improvement to the stress on her, but I think I need to dose her higher on the cayenne extract. I was not watching her carefully enough on the Cayenne and she was not dosing her high enough.
There are other antivirals out there that are strong like licorice root but they can't be taken for a long time at higher doses. I had her on 2000 mg a day of licorice root for about a month.
Geranium Oil
Posted by Koolteach (NC, USA) on 01/11/2015
How old is your mother? You may actually be harming her, rather than helping her. I currently have Shingles. I am taking Lysine, Vit C, B Complex, Olive Leaf extract, and more recently starting taking Royal Jelly with Propolis and Pollen in it. I can't tell you how much difference this has made in just two days.
I tried all the essential oil "recipes" for Shingles and the only one that came close to helping maybe 10 mins. at a time was Tea Tree mixed with a quality Olive Oil. I have since abandoned that and am depending on the supplements listed above. The Bee product is fabulous. I highly recommend it. I was told last week that I have the post pain and that I can expect to be a "long-time patient" while my doctor tries various combos of narcotics to fight the pain. But, the Bee stuff works great and I finally think I will get out of this hell of the virus and finally get my life back. I hope this helps you and your mom, but back off a bit, won't you? If she is older, she does not need a bunch of stuff. Just find what works for the majority of us here and go for that.
Shingles Vaccine
Posted by Anne (Arcata, Ca) on 03/02/2014
Had shingles on head, in hair, but it began with an odd red welt looking like a mosquito or spider bite on my neck (painless, itchless). They say if they diagnose it within a day or two, from this welt, they have a treatment to lessen it. I have my doubts, though. Acupuncture through an acupuncturist/herbalist that knows Chinese herbs would be something I would try right away, also, if living where there was one.
I tried apple cider vinegar on it once, but it did not work. The scalp was soggy already. I used rose water which gave temporary (only) relief. Getting a bonnet for your blow dryer to dry it if usng Apple Cider Vinegar would be a plus. Maybe internally, but I feel if I had not been run down and maybe short on vitamin c and others, but stressed and run-down from the stress, it would not have taken hold in my case. Drying the scalp might have helped, Also, to protect hair follicles, taking remedies and vits. to help hairloss if it occurs later. Then, getting to bed early can do wonders to combat being run down. Hair-skin vitamins.
Vitamins for hair are a must if it is on the head. I made the mistake of getting the new shingles vaccination about 2 years later. That was about the time I started losing hair. The vaccination made me feel a little like I had it again. I cannot blame my hair loss all on one thing. It could have been partly from vit. C deficiency and Fukishima fallout. It has been largely stopped with vitamin and even culinary herb supplements and oil treatments (castor oil). Also, plus various things I can do to increase circulation in the scalp.
The vaccination for it was probably the final straw as far as the alopecia coming on. I would definitely not ever take another.
Vitamin C
Posted by Mark (Coloorado) on 12/18/2013
★★★☆☆WORKED TEMPORARILY
My Wife in looking through burn remedies, (because that is what I thought I had) it turned out to be Shingles. Found 1000mg Vitamin C in eight oz. of water then sprayed or covered with soaked gauze. Well at first I bet I got 90% relief for the pain. and it lasted hours. But for some reason with each application the Vit c ( and we are talking the acidic powder kind) It got less and less affective. I went to 1000mg in 4 oz, to 2000 in 4 oz, to 3000 in 4oz, to 4000 in 4oz water. I think I did the 4000 only about six times, as it gets to astringent to apply. It was extremely helpful at first for the shingles pain and then for some reason it lost it's effect. The spray is a bit brutal as anything cool coming out of a spray bottle is going to make you jump.(I did Microwave for 18 sec at 1100 watts) but think it is more effective a bit on the cool side.t I used the vit-c as a spray for the first week before switching over to applying soaked gauze to the shingles.(easier less shocking) (Letting the gauze rest on the shingles about 10 sec. and then moving on. As the days turn into weeks it becomes almost ineffective. I ended up stepping down with the dosage. But I would say my overall treatment dose was 2000mg in 4 oz of water. It was revolutionary with the first few treatments.( and that was at 1000mg in 8 oz.) And I got to start the first night coming back from the clinic, and had a great reduction in pain levels. Too bad it doesn't last. I think it just starts to act differently, in that it stabilizes the pain, it makes it more at a constant rather than being buffeted by different shingles all at different pain levels. In my 5th week and still in considerable pain.
Vitamin C
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 12/19/2013
Mark, if you want, you can experiment with topical application (try a small area to test) of h2o2. The plain drugstore stuff.
Vitamin C
Posted by Little Wing (Boston, Ma) on 12/19/2013
Mark - I've posted before on this, but it bears repeating. A few years back my mother had a horrible case of the shingles. Her doctor put her on nerve pain killers, some gross gel and sent her home and said give it a few weeks. I researched and found this solution for her, she was 100% better in less than two weeks. L-Lysine, 3000-5000mg per day / ACV soaked cloth on the shingles 3-4 times a day / and the wonder salve from Durham Bee that everyone is talking about. That probably did the trick best. Please try it and good luck.
Vitamin C
Posted by Nanowriter (Hotspot, Texas) on 12/20/2013
You might want to try taking the vit C orally and not topically. The herpes virus that causes it targets nerves. Try vit C and Lysine together orally and see if it helps.
Vitamin C
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 12/05/2016
Hi Timh,
Well this certainly makes since. I will try buffering the 500 mgs dosage until I know for sure if more is safe for me. And okay, now I will get to work on my digestive system. Maybe I will try the Colloidal Silver to help clear up any infections, I have never tried that before.
When I stopped the C by evening the next day the burning was gone. There are a few pimples but there is no itch or burning.
After I work on my gut a while then maybe I will try the higher vitamin C again, (buffered of cause).
Thanks Again for your help,
HisJewel
Vitamin C
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 12/06/2016
Shingles is a Pain,
This Shingles pain flare up was of short duration. I almost forgot I used anything. O" but you will try whatever is available to keep from scratching your skin off.
I did not have anymore Lysine for pain as I was not looking for a revisit. So I took Tylenol or Aspirin. I sprayed on the Hydrogen Peroxide. Rub on the Castor oil after hydrogen peroxide dried.
That evening I even tried some Antibiotic Ointment that had been around a few years to help heal after some stitches. I was out of lemons and settled for Realemon juice in a glass of water. Anyway by the second evening no pain.
Now the challenge is as I understand through the posters and scholarly of EC is to, flee stress and eat gut friendly foods.
One of my main problems is I love a lot of acidic foods, and I do not balance them with vegetables or bitters each meal. But I am a big girl, (in size too), and I am about to eat my vegetables...... I love Earth Clinic!
HisJewel
Vitamin C
Posted by Timh (Ky) on 01/30/2017 2042 posts
HisJewel, glad to see your progress. Also, do consider St John'swort during the winter months and Echinacea during warm climate for improved antiviral response. I use Oil of Oregano softgels plus Milled Flax to keep my colon clean, then populate with probiotics and Glutamine. You may also consider some Lymphatic drainage or cleansing methods as it appears necessary in your case.
Licorice Extract
Posted by Mr. Ree (Usa) on 04/04/2014
For $8.95 it's certainly worth a try...I have always recommended "Natures Answer.' I have not tried other licorice extract...I got rid of my shingles in 3 days about 1 1/2 months after it surfaced...Then beat it twice more when it hit the same day...In one hour! I still have the bottle a couple of years later and it's 1/2 full.
Licorice Extract
Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 04/05/2014
Hello Kilee,
Re Shingles
You might also consider this: The ongoing nerve pain might be that the virus is still working. That is the virus has not been killed. Look under the Shingles (Ailment Section) on Earth Clinic and you'll see numerous remedies to deal with Shingles.
I have a post there and relate my experience with Shingles. I used a combo of Cayenne and Vitamin E and DMSO and Colloidal Silver as a salve. The CS and Cayenne were used to kill the virus; the E to make sure the Cayenne did not burn the skin and of course the DMSO was the carrier. And it too is anti viral.
Next, consider the possibility that the virus has damaged the nerves. So even if you do kill the virus, some shingles cases continue to hurt because of nerve damage. To help with nerve healing I use "AEP" and it's called Calcium AEP. (NOT just calcium.) The AEP is what you are after. Google; nutrition review calcium AEP. Great article. Dr Robert Adkins used it as primary item in treating his MS patients.
Maca
Posted by Alt-rocks (Felixstowe, Suffolk, United Kingdom) on 09/17/2012
★★★★★
For the post herpetic pain, I had fantastic success with Maca. I took 1x500mg in the morning and 1x500mg in the early afternoon to boost my energy level, but was ecstatic to find that it completely took away the post herpetic pain. A very welcome side-effect indeed!
Colloidal Silver
Posted by Sherri (North Adams, Mi. USA) on 08/27/2012
★★★★★
A 75 year old neighbor was suffering with shingles. It followed the nerve from the center of her back, around and under her right breast. The medicine the Dr. gave her did nothing to relieve her. I took a sray bottle and filled it with ionic silver. 3 times a day I sprayed it on her shingles soaking them good. I put a loose gauze under her breast to prevent skin to skin contact. I also had her drink 1 teaspoon of the silver 2 times a day. It gave her immediate relief. The rash developed but never blistered. It has been 3 weeks and there is hardly any outward sign of the shingles.
Calamine Lotion
Posted by Tressa (Mount Pocono, Pa.) on 05/27/2012
★★★★★
I'm in my 80's and got a case of shingles, the perscription my Dr. gave me was too expensive and it was to treat shingles. So I didn't buy it I saw that shingles looked like poison ivy so I treated it with calamine lotion by soking toilet paper with it, placed it around my middrift and wore a white T shirt. My shingles was gone in 2wks.
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.
Turmeric
Posted by Lou (Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-natal South Africa) on 04/12/2012
★★★★★
A reliable cure for Shingles is the crushed herb Turmeric used in curry or to boil with rice which gives it a bright yellow colour. This herb is a wonderful antiseptic for shingles. Simply take a teaspoon of it with jam or peanut butter twice a day and within a week your painful shingles is history. I use it on a daily basis but I have never had shingles and am quite healthy, I am 76yrs old. Lou
Dietary Changes
Posted by Donna (Newcastle, Nsw, Australia) on 04/04/2012
★★★★★
Last Wednesday dr diagnosed shingles. I was given antivirals. I came home in shock!
After looking up loads of information, I changed my diet. Cut out a lot of meat, juiced up loads of vegies (beetroot, spinach, purple carrots, parsley and some fruit to sweeten it) and added extra vitamin c and zinc (big healing properties there). I drank 1x 8 ounc glass before every meal. Two days in, fevers stopped, one week later, blisters are healing and no itching. I also used eucalyptus oil, which was great!
Hypericum Oil
Posted by Ernest (Newcastle, Nsw Australia) on 03/23/2012
★★★★★
I have suffered with shingles for three years on the left hand side of my face the pain has been debilitating, but I have just found a treatment that has eased that pain. That treatment is a bottle of essential oil called hypericum oil, I rub it into the painful areas twice a day. Hypericum oil is oil of saint johns wort.
Aloe Vera
Posted by Awagner3216 (Albuquerque, Nm) on 12/07/2011
★☆☆☆☆
I tried some aloe from the plant that I have and it made the itching and pain worse! I'm going to go to the store and get some Apple Cider Vinegar and Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oil.... Hopefully it will work, I'm only 22 and this is the first time that I have ever dealt with this. I hope that this is not a life long thing that keeps coming back!
Eucalyptus Oil
Posted by Ruark (Sydney, Nsw Australia) on 11/10/2011
★★★★☆
I have been experiencing shingles for the first time. On the face which is excrutiating. Read a post here on using eucalyptus oil, so I just applied some and it certainly quelled the pain. As soon as I can get someone to help apply it to my scalp I reckon it will knock down the degree of pain too. Wow shingles is horrendous, any relief and a good night's sleep please.
Eucalyptus Oil
Posted by Sarah B (Jefferson Twp., Pa) on 05/27/2012
I used an essential oil mix that has provided so much relief in only a day and a half. Tried bc it was all I had that had Eucalyptus oil in it and turned out to be amazing.
Dave Thomas Shingles Protocol
Posted by Dave (Fountain Inn, Sc) on 04/12/2014
To Kilee;
Re Shingles aftermath; your comment to me...
Also you could apply topically anti burn liquids; A high quality Aloe Vera mixed with a little DMSO to help penetration. And I've lately been working with Papaya and had one experience where application of Papaya liquid (just squeezed Papaya) de sensitized a burn very effectively.
And not only apply topically; but Kilee, take these anti-burn liquids orally as well. Ingest a cup (of either) daily for a month.
If the burning you are feeling is equivalent to a "burn" then it stands to reason that anti burn items will give relief. Remember; I've warned you that the virus may still be alive and so the topical application of CS with DMSO to kill the virus is essential.
Dave Thomas Shingles Protocol
Posted by Lizzy (Asheville, Nc) on 10/10/2014
Dear Dave,
Thank you so much for posting this shingles formula! Thankfully I have all the ingredients at home and have started your protocol for the beginning stages of what I think is shingles. The paste feels great on the rash/blisters that I just discovered a couple of hours ago. Thank you again!
Herpetic Neuralgia Remedies
Posted by Prioris (Fl) on 03/05/2015
Recently I just realized my occipital headache which I come to realize is really postherpetic neuralgia. This is related to the shingles zoster virus.
Before you can treat your herpes, you must know what kind of herpes virus you are fighting.
Red Marine Algae of the Gigartina skottsbergii species variety is suppose to be effective against herpes zoster.
Baking Powder Paste
Posted by God Made Natural Cures. (Los Angeles, Ca) on 02/27/2014
Baking powder might work better than soda because the corn starch is soothing. You can make your own baking powder without aluminum. Recipe is one part baking soda, one part corn starch, and 2 parts cream of tartar. I make small batches and keep them in my old baking powder can. No preservatives and yet I have had none go bad.
Diaper Cream and Mylanta
Posted by Jlh (Victor, Iowa) on 07/30/2011
★★★★★
I tried ACV and aloe for my shingles and it didn't do anything. My sister in law shared a remedy she had heard of: mix equal parts of desitin diaper cream and mylanta and spread on the blisters. It is amazing! I am on day two of this mixture and it is really helping. The blisters are still there and still uncomfortable if they get pushed on, but much better than burning, stabbing pain constantly! My blisters are in an area that clothing rubs so I have been miserable. This mixture has made it possible for me to wear clothing without sever pain!
Diaper Cream and Mylanta
Posted by John From Pa. (Abington, Pa) on 07/31/2011
Licorice extract will get rid of shingles in 3 days...
50% the first day... 75% the second and 100% the third day...
I had shingles and got rid of them in three days.. They came back in 2 different places the next couple of days and I also got rid of them... Never to reappear...
John from PA
Diaper Cream and Mylanta
Posted by Caroline (Charleston Sc) on 07/24/2017
Is the licorice taken internally or applied topically?
