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.
Essential Oils
Posted by Trish (Vichy, Missouri) on 01/21/2014
★★★★★
Thanks to everyone who posted on here about your shingles treatments. I put together my "super lotion" based on the articles I read. My husband was diagnosed on Friday night w this dreadful illness. His was in his eye (and face and scalp) which was quite frightening, since it could cause blindness.
He has made a remarkable recovery in two days. We did get into an opthalmologist and used eye drops that worked immediately. They were Prenisolene Acetate Ophthamic 4x dayand Neo/Poly/Dexamet before bed. He is also taking Valtrex 500mg 3x daily. Tylenol every 4 hrs for pain. Although this lotion will settle the nerves down. : )
My formula for his skin, which is working awesome is;
- 2 tsp Coconut Oil
- 2 tsp Colloidal Silver
- 2 tsp Aloe Vera Gel
- 1 tsp DMSO
- 5 drops Tea Tree Oil
- 5 drops Eucalyptus Oil
- 5 drops Oregano Oil
- 10 drops Lavendar Oil
- 25 drops Licorice Root
- 1 capful Apple Cider Vinegar
Mix well, put in very small tupperware container and use 2-x a day and before bedtime. Hope it's a blessing to you, it works so well my husbands lesions cleared visibly throughout the day. We also prayed a lot! Feel better!
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 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 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 Mike 62 (Denver, Colorado) on 12/18/2013
Mark: Get Wonder Salve. Read the reviews.
Vitamin C
Posted by Rsw (Uniontown, Oh) on 12/18/2013
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.
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 11/18/2013
Dear Tabitha,
So sorry about the shingles!
I do not know how long the person who wrote the post left the cayenne in place. It sounds as if people apply it and then reapply as needed. I know a man who used cayenne to pack a bleeding wound and left the cayenne in the wound. It did not cause a problem to leave the cayenne in the wound. (And it stopped the bleeding and left the ER wondering how he got the bleeding to stop! )
I once made an apple cider vinegar/cayenne liniment to put on a sore foot and just left it on.
If you haven't tried it yet, the cayenne may burn upon contact, but that usually goes away quickly. If it bothers you beyond that, you could wash it off.
You may want to take the cayenne internally as well. I like 1/2 teaspoon in some grape juice or carrot juice a couple of times a day when I need the cayenne.
Let us know how it goes. I hope you find much relief with the cayenne!
~Mama to Many~
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Tabitha (Kennewick, Wa) on 11/18/2013
How long should I leave the cayenne paste on my rash? Please get back to me as soon as u can cuz im in a whole lot of pain.
Licorice Extract
Posted by Bob Loblaw (USA) on 11/03/2013
I hope you're applying the licorice 3 or 4 times a day...?
Licorice Extract
Posted by Grannyguru (Az, Usa) on 11/03/2013
★★★★☆
The licorice root extract did not get rid of the shingles blisters, though it did seem to help the areas of skin and muscle which only had tiny red spots.
There it made the area generally feel less swollen and more returned to "normal" tissue.
Prior to that what had worked best was calamine lotion. However my initial experience with calamine lotion made me search further:
The initial application of calamine lotion really helped, though it is VERY messy to apply to the calf and shin and ankle. Almost immediately, I got relief and the large ugly blisters stopped weeping and seemed to become inactive and dry up.
The next day the rash was nearly gone. So I spred the lotion over the area again. The result was that the (shingles) infection appeared all over the area covered with lotion, so I stopped using the calamine.
I don't think I knew it was shingles at that time.
I tried apple cider vinegar and various other "remedies" but nothing really helped.
I believe the calamine lotion only seemed to spread the shingles, but really the shingles were just in the middle of blasting my leg with the outbreak.
Since the calamine did dry up the blisters, I tried it again. It provided relief and dried up the blisters, but it also made the areas with only small blisters or sensitive to touch, dry beyond reason.
So while it allieviated the pain from the large blisters, walking made the rest of the area covered with calamine lotion feel as if the skin was being ripped off for a while each time I had to walk.
The licorice root extract does not do that. It made the areas with only tiny blisters or no blisters feel better, with no or little pain when touched. It seemed to make the tiniest of blisters there go away, but it did not get rid of small blisters or the large blisters.
I am now past the 3rd day of using the licorice root extract. I am going to go back to using the calamine lotion, at least on the large blisters.
Arrgghhhh!!!!!
Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne
Posted by Anna (Roswell, Ga) on 09/06/2013
★★★★★
My boyfried had what we think to be shingles. That is when I discovered Earth Clinic. I fixed him a bottle water with ACV (apple cider vinegar), cayenne pepper (3 good size shakes) honey to taste. had him drink this 3 times a day and mixed cayenne pepper with ACV (heavy on cayenne) took cottonball and put it on him everywhere, three times a day and shingles were gone within 3 to 5 days. It made him a believer. Now we both drank ACV as a often as we can.
Licorice Extract
Posted by Mr. Ree (Usa) on 08/15/2013
★★★★★
I used licorice extract on Shingles lesions and they were gone in 3 days... It came back twice and I put it on the same day and in an hour it was gone... $8.95 a bottle... Dr's told me there was nothing they could do about it but give me percoset... And they said it might last as long as a couple of years... Bright people!
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Noell (Aiken, Sc) on 08/14/2013
★★★★★
For Shingles, I found that using tabasco rather than ground cayenne worked best for me. It is emulsified cayenne with vinegar and doesn't leave ground pepper all over where you dabbed it. I used it with the DMSO and my blisters were gone in two days, now I am just dealing with the little scabs drying up and shedding off, only 1 or two new single spots that are gone the next day, with no pain. Thank goodness mine were hidden in my hair, nasty stuff!!
Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda Paste
Posted by Candace Pfau (Franklin, N.C.) on 08/03/2013
★★★★★
I have shingles, taking the anti viral. But accidently found out that a paste of hydrogen peroxide mixed with baking soda stops the spreading. Or changes its course. Stopped from going up my face cold turkey. Of course then it started working down my neck. Each place you feel it breaking out, the itch, a paste of this will kill it or stop it. It also makes the blisters feel better. I had used this on cuts to heal them when nothing else would. Going to try the cayene pepper.
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!
Coconut Oil
Posted by Tara (Cambridge, Boston) on 06/18/2013
Meghan, the coconut oil caused you to vomit. You should never take such a high amount to start of anything, and especially not when you are feeling so desperate. Many people start with 1/8th teaspoon and work their way up. Don't give up on the other remedies, I have tried them all and they are awesome!!
Coconut Oil
Posted by Meghan (Mississippi/usa) on 06/18/2013
At 21, I was diagnosed with shingles yesterday for the 1st time ever and am devastated. I want it gone ASAP. I read almost all of these remedies. I just drank a shot of orange juice mixed with 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Followed by a mixture of green tea, with 2 tablespoons coconut oil and 2 tablespoons ACV. I threw up in the trash can before I even finished the cup. It was so disgusting and all that mixed did not settle well at all. I would not recommend drinking any of that and I doubt it helps much, if any. I think I'm just going to stick with applying it to the blistered area from now on!
Coconut Oil
Posted by Debbie (Ny) on 05/28/2013
★★★★★
My boyfriend was diagnosed with Shingles. It was the left side of his face, from his eyelid up to his hairline. It was very painful. He was prescribed steroids and an anti viral medication. I immediately went to your site to see what else he could use to help the affected area. He uses coconut oil. It soothed the area, and it is helping the area heal faster. Thank you for all the great info you provide, it was extremely helpful. Sincerely, Debbie
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lysine
Posted by Maryann (Emporia, Kansas) on 05/02/2013
Collodial Silver (liquid dietary supplement) is great to use as eye drops if you want to protect your eyes from your shingles outbreak. It's safe to use in eyes.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Idalia (Kissimmiee, Fl/oceola) on 01/05/2013
★★★★★
I mixed organic coconut oil with vitamin E oil and palmer's olive butter formula since it was all the stuff I had at hand and I was desperate since I was itching really bad, I made the mixture and instantly I felt relief I am on acyclovir 800Mg tables
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Violet (Cerrillos, Nm) on 12/27/2012
★★★★★
I had a mild outbreak of shingles earlier this year. I tried ACV at first and it helped slightly. After a few days of pain I decided to try cayenne even though I was worried it might be even more painful. To my surprise it dried out the blisters and I immediately began to feel better. I simply mixed cayenne powder with water, applied the paste to my skin, and allowed it to flake off as it dried. The nervy pain persisted as the blisters dried. I used undiluted geranium essential oil directly on the skin and the residual nerve pain dissapeared over the next few days.
Multiple Remedies
Posted by Doug (Milton, Georgia) on 12/09/2012
★★★★★
I'm 63 years old and in pretty good health. My shingles hit me on a trip to Idaho for a meeting. Started as a small pimple near my scalp. Odd. Then I had severe pain under my right eye. I suspected a severe sinus infection. On the plane flight home the rash broke out. I could feel something crawling from my scalp toward the tip of my nose. I thought it was hair, went to brush it and it was liquid under my skin. Pain got worse but no fever. High anxiety - what is this??? Trip to an urgent care after plane landed and the PA said "you've got shingles. " They gave me a prescription for Valtrex, Predisone and Lorban. When I got home we hit the web for knowledge. Came to this site and already into natural health - started self- treating. Hit L-Lysine, Cayenne, Bee Propolus, coconut oil, Echinatia, Colloidal Silver, Vit. C and Vit. B supplements.
On the blisters on my face I had five areas of rash and blisters including three big red blisters on the tip of my nose and three patches near and into my scalp. I used aloe Vera, Vitimin E oil, tea tree oil (product called Miracle Oil) and Listene balm. Immediate improvement to the rash and blisters. Applied several times a day. My work briefcase looked like a medicine cabinet.
The urgent care PA told me to go to an eye doctor ASAP. The next day I got into an eye doctor and she indicated it had not entered my eye ball. She prescribed some Bacitracin for my eyelid. Things stabilized but my right eye started to get blurry. This was during a weeks vacation in Florida during which I avoided any water activities for fear of infecting my eye. On a follow-up visit I was referred to a corneal eye doctor. I had clouding of my cornea. He put me on Valcyclovil pills and Predisolone drops and Zirgan drops (though the Zirgan is like a glop and challenging to apply a drop at a time).
During this whole time I have continued the natural supplements and natural topical items. Excellent results. Within three weeks all the scabs have gone away, the rash is all but gone. My face looks normal except a little redness in the original areas. Note: I did forgo having my hair colored and cut while the rash was active in my scalp - didn't think the hair chemicals would be good. I looked like crap but stuck it out.
I also followed the other blog suggestions on this site and avoided chocolate and nuts and using many of the supplements suggested.
I still have some residual pain in my head but am slowly getting back to normal. I give high praise and thanks to this website for helping me to get through the hell of shingles. Good luck!
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Ahmad_h (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) on 12/04/2012
★★★★★
I'm 27 and I recently had a breakout of shingles on my leg. A day after I had the red spots the nerve pain arrived. That's when I realized it was shingles and immediately began seeking remedies. It appeared that cayenne pepper was key to suppressing the virus, according to a number of folks on earthclinic. I began looking for natural pastes around the house to mix with cayenne pepper. All I had at the time was Tahini (sesame butter). I took a tablespoon of tahini and mixed it with a whole lot of cayenne pepper, almost to the point of saturation, and applied it to the red spots. 95% of the nerve pain was gone and the red spots were no where in sight within 24hours. I've been reapplying it almost daily (usually when I feel the pain creeping up). Cayenne pepper is shingles' worst nightmare. I've been ingesting half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper every few days as well, just for good measure. And they said it takes 2-3 weeks to heal!
Essential Oils
Posted by Jenesse (Mesa, Az, USA) on 11/27/2012
★★★★★
Yes, the recommendation for Ravensara (Ravintsara) and Callophylum / Tamanu nut oil is from Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt's "Advanced Aromatherapy". You can use a 50-50 concentration. No additional carrier oil needed. I added a few drops of geranium which is also a great anti-viral oil. This blend smells earthy and sweet - it's great!
I currently have the VERY characteristic "shingles pain" , no blisters yet. The pain is already MUCH better and I'm praying it only gets better not worse. I additionally took a few oregano capsules, lots of L-Lysine and got a chiropractic adjustment - just be to be sure. I HATE the shingles!!
Bleach
Posted by Josie (Columbia, Maryland) on 11/22/2012
★☆☆☆☆
I thought my case of shingles was poison oak and put cortisone cream on for two days as that had cleared up a case of poison oak (that I had for 2-3 months) in 3-4 days. But the cortisone was not working so I went to see my doctor and he said I had shingles. I had experienced more blistering from putting diluted clorox on my poison oaked areas and I smelled like clorox too all day long. This was a popular remedy I saw on the internet. So I was glad when I got the cortisone cream to heal my poison oak. Now I will have to be as persisitenet with this shingles. It's been the year of rashes for me.
The reason I mention the diluted clorox is that the dermatologist my doctor consulted with also on the shingles recommended a diluted clorox bath but I think it could spread the blisters like it did with the poison oak so I am not going to try this.
Zostavax Vaccine
Posted by Kate59 (Kingston, Ny, United States) on 11/19/2012
Update on my shingles: It's day 6 and I have been alternating ACV on gauze padsand Eucalyptus oil pats, and taking L-Lysine, my chinese anti-viral herbs, Vit. C, B-complex, Raw Honey with propolis, and drinking the ACV. Eating nutritiously, but sparingly as my appetite has decreased. My energy level began to improve on Day 5. This morning, I noticed scabbing on one of my larger blisters and drying on most of my rash. I have photographed the stages of my shingles and am keeping a log, as I want full documentation for the naysayers. After contemplation, I remembered I had fell on my tailbone On Oct. 27 and it hurt for a week until I got myself adjusted. Then with the power out for 5 days, I was somewhat emotionally stressed, but I really think the fall and my diet had the most to do with it.
This site is fantastic. I've read every single post on this site about shingles and taken the best as suggestions for myself. I am blessed that my pain level is low, but I think that may be because I don't use OTC or scripts, just homeopathy and herbs.
Bleach
Posted by Bob (Somewhere, Az) on 11/16/2012
★★★★★
The best way to get rid of shingles is to wipe them with a little clorox on a cotton ball. Early on this will work really well and dry up the lesions in 1-2 days. I have not tried in on PHN and don't know if it works. I know it dries up the lesions. It really works. If the lesions are on your face be so careful not to get clorox into you eyes as it will burn!!! DO NOT DRINK IT!
Zostavax Vaccine
Posted by Kate59 (Kingston, Ny, United States) on 11/16/2012
I am 53 and was recently diagnosed with shingles. Glad to have found this site! Right now I am typing this while slathered with a salve made today from Vit. E oil, aloe vera gel, cayenne pepper, 50 drops of pure essential eucalyptus oil and corn starch..... Covered with gauze bandages and a t-shirt. I haven't had any pain from this, but I am not taking any chances. I had used a homeopathic anti-pain cream when the area was aching everynight at bedtime. I didn't know the shingles were emerging. Oh, I just drank 1/4 cup ACV and chased it down with 500mg. of lysine and a teaspoon of raw honey.
About the vaccine: I totally agree that the chicken pox vaccine is causing the outbreak of so many with shingles. And after (of before) having shingles, unfortunately many people will get the vaccine. Who knows what new complications will arise.
I've been studying herbs, homeopathics, blood-type diets, macrobiotic diets, you name it. for 30 years! Problem is I was low on lysine, too much sugar, post-menopausal, recently had a stressful weather-related event in the northeast USA.
I consider this a wake-up call for me to eat right, build my immunity up once again and thrive!
Thanks everyone for some great information. This site is a keeper!
