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.
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!
Colloidal Silver
Posted by Liz (Melbourne, Australia) on 11/14/2012
★★★★★
Hi, l have had shingles 3 times in 3 months but quite mildly, l use colloidal silver and keep a wet solution on at all times with cotton wool, you can put it in your eyes, l have been using it successfully for 15 years on any external infection. Sometimes l drink it for my ulcer and it helps straight away, also sore throats, eye infections. It's fantastic.
L-Lysine
Posted by Little Wing (Boston, Ma) on 11/08/2012
★★★★★
My mom had shingles and the best thing that worked for her was taking lots of Lysine and applying Salve a few times a day. I know some have been helped with ACV wraps, putting it right on the shingles, but I know that can burn.
Dietary Changes, Supplements
Posted by Ester (Glendale, Arizona, Usa) on 10/30/2012
★★★★★
When you have shingles, you want to AVOID chocolate and nuts!! It literally feeds the virus! Also, you want to take a lot of B vitamins (B-12, B-6, etc.) it will seriously help!
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Gus (Agnes Water, Qld Australia) on 10/27/2012
★★★★★
Hi heres my adapted paste for Shingles, adapted from thi site of course!
1tsp coconut oil.
1tsp cayenne pepper.
2tsp apple cider vinegar.
1tsp neem oil.
2tsp kaolin clay
2 cloves cut up garlic .
Combined all ingredients and applied, results in 24 hours are amazing. Applied quite frequently. regards
Zostavax Vaccine
Posted by Diane (Philadelphia, Pa) on 10/26/2012
I was given the Zostavax Vaccine in early August. By mid-September, I had a small patch of shingles on my arm (about the size of a half dollar). Two weeks later (early October), a large fever blister broke out on the corner of my mouth. Two weeks later (mid-October), I had heart pain and palpitations. The heart pain went away, but the palpitations were so bad that I went to the emergency room - twice! Terrifying! According to cardio tests, my heart was fine, but I believe the heart palpitations are a reaction to the shingles virus and my body's fight against the invader (remember, this is a LIVE virus vaccine). While the doctors did not explicitly agree with me, they did not totally dismiss the thought that heart palpitations could be a side effect of this vaccine. I wish I had never gotten it...
Meanwhile, in seeing my distress, my sister suggested I take Alka Seltzer Gold (it must be the Gold as there's no aspirin in it) and It Worked! Within 15 minutes, the palpitations were gone! Hope this helps someone else.
Thanks EC for all your efforts to help others!
Tea Tree Oil
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!
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lysine
Posted by Connie (Slc, Utah, Usa) on 10/11/2012
Hi Schuyler; I would recommend high dose B12, even injections for shingles. B12 has antiviral properties, and it used to be used to treat them before the advent of antivirals. Shingles near the eyes may even cause blindness, so I can't help but ask you to hurry. B12 will also treat post herpetic neuralgia, which can be debilitating.
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lysine
Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa) on 10/11/2012
Hi Schuyler, I have sent two friends who had shingles to my friend who is a Chinese herbalist. He doesn't do acupuncture but specializes in Chinese herbalism.
One of my friend's husband was hit with a terrible case of shingles along the same area where yours is. His work sent him home saying he could not return until it was resolved. Of course, he was in pain and upset about not being able to work. He's also a scientist and when his wife told him about my recommendation for this he said he would not go there and have his tongue "read". She said fine, went by herself and told him her husband had shingles and where it was located. He sent her home with herbs and instructions and within 2 days the shingles were gone and he could return to work.
Again, I don't think I can emphasize how powerful Chinese medicine is. I hope this helps. Lisa
P.S. Forgot to mention, my herbalist friend treated his own dad successfully for shingles as well!
Apple Cider Vinegar, Lysine
Posted by Schuyler (Mullins, Sc) on 10/11/2012
I started with shingles Dec. 2012. Have had ongoing problems since then. It was hard to diagnose because it never came out as a rash, but stayed "inside. " It's in the left side of neck, left upper roof gum area, temple, top left side of head, partially down left neck and left shoulder. Been on antivirals & steroids 3 times. Now, back on antivirals alone. BUT... This time, I'm having an actual outbreak on the inside of the lower lid of my left eye. It's very uncomfortable. I've just taken the ACV for the first time after reading all the comments, but can anyone suggest what I might possibly be able to use for my eye to help with the bad discomfort? I know I can't put vinegar in there--UGH! Thanks for any help.
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.
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Scott (La Quinta, Ca) on 08/17/2012
★★★★★
I used aloe vera gel, cayenne and oatmeal flour I ground up in my vita-mix to make a paste. Worked like a charm- place aloe vera gel in a bowl sprinkle to cover with cayenne, mix then sprinkle to cover with oatmeal and mix again. Clean site with Apple Cider Vinegar and apply it every 6 hrs.
Licorice Extract
Posted by John P. (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) on 07/05/2012
★★★★★
Get a bottle of licorice extract and apply it to the lesions. Do this for 3 days and they will be gone at the end of the third day. Of course keep the bottle in case it re-surfaces. $8.95 here in the states... Cheap fix.. Don't get a vaccine for shingles.
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.
Vitamin C
Posted by Jennifer (Raleigh, Nc) on 06/25/2012
★★★★★
I went to the doctor with a fist sized rash, and was told shingles... The whole mess started with deep muscle itching in my leg for a week, then I thought I scratched the skin and had an infection/rash. There were also two bumps on the sole of my heel that made it painful to walk-- the doctor listened to my description of events and except for the heel thing, diagnosed shingles right away. She thought maybe the heel break out was because the nerves in the heel are connected down the leg. She prescribed Valtrex, I refused steroids. I wasn't really in any pain. I filled the scrip and then went home and googled it.
Everything I looked at and read said I was in for 6 weeks or longer of intense pain, seeping sores and so on... Yikes, I could not take even a week off work!
I read about Vitamin C and started taking 1000mg at different intervals from the Valtrex, 3X a day for Valtrex and 4X a day for the Vitamin C. I applied Caladryl (calamine lotion with itch reliever) to my rash as needed, about 3 times a day. I was back at work after three days.
I never got open sores from the rash, just bumps. I did get more rash and bumps, some would go away and others came, up and down my upper thigh (and butt), but I did not experience weeping sores or have intense pain, and was walking fairly normally after three days. The bumps on my heel stayed dark, but hurt less to walk on.
I think it was the vitamin C, but I did not stop taking the Valtrex. I didn't seem to take enough Vitamin C to cause diarrhea, just loose stool one day. Another thing with the C, it seemed to calm me down a little bit. I work on my feet 12 hours a day 5 or 6 days a week as a restaurant manager, and have never been good at sitting still, but the C, I think, might have calmed me a bit.
Essential Oils
Posted by Tony (St Paul, Ab, Canada) on 05/29/2012
★★★★★
Hi, this is about treating SHINGLES.... Put pure oil of cinnamon on the soles of the feet, and the palms, twice a day. Also I would put oil of sage on the affected areas. I have found this to be a reliable treatment for anything viral.
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.
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.
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.
