Shingles
Natural Remedies

Exploring Natural Remedies and Supportive Care for Shingles

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.

Red Marine Algae

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Breathoflifeedu (Texas) on 11/15/2014
★★★★★

When my son was 12 years old, he developed a painful rash on his back, neck, and face all on the same side. A couple days after I was at my chiropractor and he noticed it and told me that it was shingles. I asked what I could do to get rid of it. He went in the other room and came back with a bottle of Red Marine Algae. He said for my son to take 2 capsules in the morning and 2 capsules at night until the bottle was empty, if the it was not completely gone then get another bottle and follow the same instructions but to take all of the bottle regardless. I followed his instructions to the T and by the time he finished the first bottle it was completely gone and he has not had another occurrence, he is now 22 years old.

Replied by Prioris
(Fl)
03/05/2015
★★★★★

The above post is not very clear. It may cause people to buy the wrong product and think it didn't work.

There are thousands of varieties of Red Marine Algae but only ONE variety works against the shingles virus (herpes zoster). Many bottles say Red Marine Algae but they contain different varieties depending that work against different herpes.

Shingles and other herpes outbreaks can be controlled by the use of red marine algae. The main caution about using any commercial product by that name is to be sure that the appropriate species of red marine algae is in the supplement. The name to look for based on scientific research is Gigartina skottsbergii.


Rubbing Alcohol, Iodine

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Tammy (Texas) on 12/05/2014
★★★★★

Country Girl's Home Remedy for Shingles:

I am on my 3rd week of the battle w/Shingles & excited they are healing & leaving! I am 43 yrs. old, mother of 3, & was told stress induced my Shingles. My 1st week I was put on the Anti Viral Medication. Told my Dr.my theory on drying them out, protecting the skin. He told me if I could endure it, it would probably work.....

After the doctor's appt., I went home & put rubbing alcohol on the rash (oh it burns as it's attacking the virus, & then it stops, so does the pain/itching/burning.It can be extremely painful where the virus is strong). After the alcohol dried, using a Q-tip I poured Betadine (iodine) on it, then putting it on all the rash. Betadine seemed to seal the rash from traveling. About the rash..It looked awful, my husband stated it looked like someone spilled hot grease all over my lower side. It was not a small bout w/Shingles. My rash was from my lower back all the way to the front... but with my home remedy on 2 blisters ever fested up & crusted over. The nerve pain was different & I had to use Ibroprofen. This is my 3rd week, I've worked on building my immune system up & now I am almost healed from the rash & pain. For me this home remedy helped & I am sharing in hopes if it can help someone else. God Bless.


Shea Butter, Turmeric, Homeopathy

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Quantumchick (Irvine, California) on 04/29/2012
★★★★★

I've received so many great natural remedies from this site that I want to contribute one of my own.

I suffered from a bout of shingles, got the pain to calm down with drinking apple cider vinegar, spraying it on the lesions, and eating raw unrefined coconut oil. The episode lasted maybe a couple weeks.

My mom passed recently, and with the stress of that, it came back and I did not realize it until after the funeral - they were all on the left side of my body, on the front. Talk about painful!

Well, I didn't have anything in the house and I'd bought some salve that had helped previously but it was all gone. I noticed a jar of african shea butter my cousin had left and thought what the heck - it might work.

I put some on, and went out for the day. Almost immediately I noticed that the stabbing pain and itch disappeared and the raised bumps had gone away too!

Needless to say, I scraped that jar then went in search of more on Amazon. com - I ended up buying a pound of it.

Another benefit is that it fades the scarring and marks that shingles leaves.

Even though the skin got 100% better, I had tremendous post-herpetic neuralgia. My skin was so sensitive, it hurt to put anything on it.

For that, what has worked like a charm is Turmeric capsules - 500 mg x 2, 4 times a day, along with homeopathic remedy Hypericum Perforatum (30x 4 times a day). I'm still taking it, but it started working on the post shingles pain after the first few doses.

Because I read about this stuff online, and I was eager to try anything that might work, I just went to my local health food store to get the Hypericum, and went to Walmart and bought the Turmeric.

Hope this is helpful for anyone who is suffering from this terrible, painful condition!


Shingles Vaccination in Elderly

1 User Review
1 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Leona T. (MN) on 10/07/2019
★☆☆☆☆

My 94 year old dad got shingles November 2018. It got into his eye. He has been doctoring with it since. He still has haze over his cornea today. My question is should he get the new shingles shot?


Shingles Vaccine

1 User Review
(1) 
  100%

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.


Strengthen Gut Microbiome

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Ann (Deer Park, Wa) on 08/25/2009
★★★★★

After suffering reoccurrence of shingles for about 20 months, I found out that it is a sign that there is a serious underlying medical problem. I worked on healing my digestive problems and as soon as the digestive system started working properly, the shingles quit reoccurring. If you keep getting shingles, look for another medical problem


Supplements

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by David (Indianapolis, In) on 02/19/2017
★★★★★

Shingles:

Cut out all sugar, good diet, lots of Vitamins B-12 liquid, lots of Lysine, and 6 to 7 Lypo-Spheric Vitamin C (accept NO substitutes-$1k a pack) packets on an empty stomach ...do this for up to 3 days and Shingles will be gone....use a shingles cream too you can purchase on amazon. It easier to get rid of by doing this than a common cold.


Supplements
Posted by RJ (Cleveland, Ohio) on 01/14/2008
★★★★★

I recently had a shingles, which I never knew anything about until now. This web site was a big help in helping me understand the disease and what I could do about it.

I actually used multiple remedies to help cure shingles and the excruciating pain that went along with it. I went to a doctor to find out what it was and he confirmed that it was shingles and prescribed Valtrex an antiviral pill (which will not kill the virus), 1 per day for 10 days. I did take it but it didn't do a thing for the outbreak or the pain.

First thing I did was start taking Vitamin C 1000 mg fizzy packets x 3 every hour, by the fourth or fifth hour, I had diarrhea. Not a problem, cut it back to 1000 mg every 3 hours for the next 2 days. This helps to jump start the immune system and Vitamin C doesn't build up in the body and you can't get enough from fruits and vegetables. I also started taking l-lysine 2 tablets in the morning and 2 before bed (1500 mg each time). This also helps to boost immune system and kill the virus. Unfortunately, I did have to take some ibuprofen for the pain from time to time but that was only one or sometimes twice a day for a few days. I also took twice a day 2 ounces of apple cider vinegar mixed with either orange juice or grape juice (not at the same time as the vitamins) until the outbreak was gone.

For the outbreak, I tried putting zinc oxide cream (the worst thing to do) on the outbreak, it did nothing and it was painful to get off because it is made with petroleum. I also tried honey for its' ability to heal, it may have helped but it was messy and I didn't see any results. I did put tea tree oil on for a full day and it seemed to keep it from spreading but I did not see a lot of healing. I then took and put apple cider vinegar directly on the sores and wrapped them in cellophane to keep from drying out and left on for 2 hours. It was painful but it really brought out the sores. I then took baking soda and sea salt mixed with water and applied with a wet wash cloth and let sit on for an hour and then reapplied a few times. This felt great because it had a cooling effect on the sores and took away a lot of the pain. I used to have acne as a teenager and we would go to the beach in the summer and every year, my acne clear up like I had none at all, so I tried it and immediately the sores began to heal. I only needed to use for one to two days for the baking soda and salt water and only once for the apple cider vinegar. Once everything was dried up, I put some calamine lotion on for help with itching and I was surprised when it eliminated the dark marks from where the sores were. For the pain that continued after the sores, I thought it would go away, but unfortunately, it hung around a while and made life tough. I finally tried vitamin E d-alpha, not dl-alpha 1200 IU's twice a day and the pain went away after 2 days. I read that Vitamin C and Vitamin E should be taken together so I took 1000 mg of Vitamin C with the Vitamin E at the same time.

Also, watch your diet and eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. There are some that say the virus uses foods like nuts and chocolate as food to grow and survive, so starve it and you have a better chance that the natural remedies will kill and eat the virus.

Good Luck and I hope this helps someone because many of these same things worked for others and I know that they helped me a lot. Thanks to those that shared.


Sweet Wormwood, Wild Lettuce Leaf

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by talkdtwo (Oregon) on 02/11/2024
★★★★★

Sweet Wormwood Capsules for Shingles and Wild Lettuce Leaf for pain

I'll explain below why I even thought to do this. I'm taking Sweet Wormwood Capsules, 425 mg, two every four hours. I'm just taking an inexpensive brand (Swanson Full Spectrum). I wish I could paste a picture to show you how quickly this is working. It's amazing. In three days, it's 70% gone.

For the pain, I took Wild Lettuce Leaf Extract, 1 capsule every four hours. I use Zanzee Wild Lettuce Leaf Extract, 500 mg. It works better than Opioids, does not make you drowsy, and is non-addictive.

On Tuesday evening, I thought I had gotten bitten by some bug. I had what looked like a cluster of bites. I was itching like crazy. By Friday it kept getting worse and was now burning quite painfully and itching like crazy. Went to Urgent care and was told it wasn't bug bites, but Shingles.

They prescribed the Antiviral Valacyclovir HCL and told me they don't know if it will help but its the best they have to offer. I filled the prescription but it said it can make you dizzy and not to drive. I have to see clients and didn't want that in my system. So, I thought, "What might I have in my arsenal to help?"

I used to be a Federal Investigator for the Bureau of Drugs, New Drug Investigations. When COVID hit, I researched to find a Bioidentical herb for HydroxyClor** because that drug seemed to be super effective, and then they banned it from use. In the 70's, Dr. Tu You You got the Nobel Peace Prize for finding that Sweet Wormwood was as effective against Malaria as HydroxyC. I actually found studies and articles where WHO/CDC was recommending that people in high-malaria areas not drink Dr. Tu You You's recommendation of sweet wormwood tea because if they might/possibly/could/we're supposing need HydroxyCl, the sweet wormwood might/possibly/could/we're supposing make them resistant to it. In other words, they wouldn't make money. The wormwood dropped the cases of malaria by 80% and if someone needed HydroxyCl, it did not prohibit its effectiveness.

So we stored up on Sweet Wormwood. Every time someone we know got COVID, we told them about Sweet Wormwood. Within 24/48 hours, their symptoms were gone. We stopped counting after 70 some-odd cases. My sister-in-law actually had to sneak some into the hospital when her husband was admitted because he refused to take Remdesivir and they were giving him nothing, just monitoring him as he declined. In 24 hours, he went from dying to going home. We recommend taking 2 every four hours while symptoms are evident and then 1 three times a day for two more weeks.

So that is what got me thinking that if Shingles is also a virus, why not try it? What do I have to lose, except for a few more days of discomfort? I'm SO impressed at how quickly this is working. Friday I was burning/pain/itching so bad I went to Urgent Care. Saturday, there was a negligible amount of pain/no itch. Today, I don't even notice it's there unless I'm writing about it (hahahaha).


Tagamet

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Barbara (Montgomery, Al) on 12/06/2011
★★★★★

Several years ago when I had a near outbreak of shingles... Rash starting to appear and painful stinging sensation, I read in a health magazine that Tagamet, an over the counter acid reducer, could help with symptoms. It did! The symptoms went away in a few days.


Tea Bag Treatment

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by Bobmike (Arkansas) on 06/07/2015
★★★★★

Shingles was breaking out bad, was in pain and they were getting worse. Just remembered that shingles is a herpes type virus, so last time I had a cold sore, I used a tea bag on it, (heated the bag in a half cup hot water then cooled it down first) it knocked my cold sores immediately, so I thought "could it also work on shingles??" It does work!!! And it is not a painful treatment!

I just took a tea bag, put it in some hot water in a cup, then let it steep for 3 or 4 minutes, then took out the bag, let it cool down and laid the wet tea bag right on the blistered area for 5 or 10 minutes, I also took 2 or 3 lysine tablets and let them dissolve in the tea water. I also soaked paper towel in this liquid and laid it on the blisters now and then. Already, they are drying up!! There is a new separation of healthy skin now between some of them. What was a very angry painful area this morning, is now way less painful, way less red, way less swollen. There is a white area of skin around the lesions where it is healing now. I can stand to run my hand over it now and this morning, that would have been agony!

Tea bags cooled, applied and I did put some lysine in the tea water, but I think the tea bags alone would do the trick! Yeah, and no pain and it is fast fast fast!! Glad I remembered by cold sore trick. This is something I wanted to share because, I would hate for people to suffer another day, when they have tea bags right in the cabinet! You can use black tea or green tea.

Replied by Dennise
(British Columbia)
08/12/2023
★★★★★

Works like a charm on shingles rash. Once it dried up, I broke open coenzyme q10 capsules added it to zinc ointment and applied thickly. In 48 hours the rash is almost gone.


Tea Tree Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Heather (Springfield, Mo) on 10/13/2012
★★★★★

I work in a very high stress job and had a second outbreak of Shingles for the year. I immediately turned to my tea tree oil, applied I with a cotton swab and covered the area with 3m waterproof bandaid. Now three days after doing this once a day, they are well on their way to healing. The pain went away within a few minutes of applying the oil as well as the itching. I am going to keep this oil on hand at all times!


Turmeric

3 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  67%
4 star (1) 
  33%

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


Turmeric
Posted by Nypie (New York, Ny) on 05/21/2011
★★★★☆

Hi all,

Last week I came down with a rash and then a few days later a cluster of blisters near my lip that looked horrible. I assumed they were the worst case of a cold sore I had ever had and proceeded to use whatever had worked in the past. To my horror nothing worked and I stayed inside my home for days feeling depressed about it while applying cold sore ointments and more. While thinking about it I thought it odd I also had a rash around the bumps which had never happened before so I started googling. So I came to the conclusion I had Shingles-hurrah! ... ? Knowing I had turmeric in the medicine cabinet and knowing it's supposed uses for skin ailments I decided to give it a try. I just pour a bit in my palm, add a bit of water and then apply it to the affected area. It is working! It is obviously healing and looking much better. I'd also advise tea tree oil & vitamins through diet & supplements.


Turmeric
Posted by Mitch (Gatineau, Quebec, Canada) on 10/16/2010
★★★★★

My 85 year old mom has been suffering excruciating pain due to shingles (along the nerve on the back of her leg to her waist) for the past 3 weeks. The pain was unbearable and she could not sleep at all because of the pain. I could no longer bear to watch her suffer so much so I looked up this site and found turmeric and apple cider vinegar. I made 00 capsules filled with tumeric and gave her 2 capsules before going to bed last night and mixed ACV with 1 tbsp honey and made her drink it. When I came to see her this morning, she said that it was the first night she had not felt any pain in the last 3 weeks. She has become a believer in natural remedies and so have I. Thanks to everyone for your testimonies.



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