Natural Shingles Remedies: A Guide to Relief

St. John's Wort

Posted by Susan (PA) on 01/21/2025
★★★★★

St. John's wort helped with my shingles. Within 30 minutes of applying St. John's wort oil to the rash, the area was lighter and less red. When the virus was active, my progression started with redness, followed by itching, followed by a rash. I started applying St. John's wort to every new red area that appeared and it would fade within 20 minutes without a rash developing there. I used the oil initially and switched to the tincture once I located some. I also took a few drops of the tincture (1 drop 4x/day building to 5 drops 4x/day) for 10 days.

For postherpetic neuralgia, I mix castor oil (1-2 TB) with cayenne pepper (1/8 tsp) and apply it to the sensitive area. It is messy but it is helping.

How To Avoid Shingles

Posted by AB (Atlanta) on 03/07/2024

Make sure it is indeed shingles. Shingles is often the first manifestation of an internal malignancy. Not always, but often. How to keep not getting shingles comes to figuring out why she has shingles. Full blood work is a starter. There are specific markers that indicate some serious things are underneath. Ruling out malignancy is the first step. Young people get turbo cancers these days.

Shingles shot for a young person who already has shingles is a recipe for a bigger disaster

So start with blood work Just google what blood markers indicate potential cancer and do the lab work. Keep in mind her doctor must disagree or dismiss, you can do it yourself these days.
Everyone these days must have a stool test for colon cancer, it is cheap March is a colon cancer awareness month, they offer a discount. Do it annually. A family friend, a young mom has recently died, she had stage 4

If your young relative is cleared from malignancies, test her for viruses, citomegalovirus, hpylori, Epstein Barr..

Meantime I'd recommend Cats Claw supplement, L-lysine +high dose vitamin C and Arsenic Album - a homeopathic remedy I learned about here. I get shingles like rash from time to time and I start this protocol and it really works for me. I also add a trace ( not a drop) of antiviral medicinal quality essential oils to a base oil and apply externally. Young living essential oils and Alma ( former Floracopeia) is where I buy directly. Can't guarantee for other companies. Never buy on Amazon.

Do all blood work before starting the supplements

And check the shingles section here on EC site.

L-Lysine

Posted by DLee (USA) on 10/08/2023
★★★★★

My wife was having pain for about a week before the first blisters showed up and we realized it was shingles. Started L-Lysine right away, 500 mg twice per day, sometimes 3 times. Two patches developed, one about 2 inches long and maybe 1 1/2 inches wide, the other a bit smaller. Blisters were scattered over the affected area; not a mass of blisters like some have had. The infection never spread beyond those areas. Took 5 weeks to heal up. I believe that Lysine limited the development of the infection. Lysine did not seem to help with the nerve 'zaps'. A TENS unit, however, did a remarkable job at nearly eliminating nerve 'zaps' . We used a 2 channel unit. The nerve pain ran along a line that started just beside the spine and wrapped around in a downward sloping arc around to the front of the chest almost to rhe sternum. The front terminal end of the line was about 2 inches lower than the other end at the spine. TENS unit Electrodes were placed this way: 1st channel- one electrode at the starting point of the pain next to spine with its pair electrode about halfway around the line, on the side (about where your arm would fall). 2nd channel- one electrode halfway between the first pair, the other one at the terminating end of the pain path near the sternum. Used a steady, not pulsating, mode. After 90 minutes of this, no zaps for the next 12 hours, and very few zaps for quite some time after that. Only had to do this twice, about 3 or 4 days after the visible onset of the infection. After that, nerve pain was very intermittent and less intense than it had been.

BHT

Posted by Swfowkes (Cupertino, California) on 06/10/2022 46 posts
★★★★★

I can second Lisa's reply. BHT is extremely effective for shingles and can cause pain reduction in hours when used topically.

If you have shingles and want to test this, apply 10-15% BHT by weight dissolved in refined coconut oil (the most stable preparation, shelf-life-wise) to only one side and leave the shingles on the other side untreated. The untreated side is then a control. The BHT from the treated side will distribute to the other side (and through the palm of your hand in applying the BHT/oil solution), but it will take sufficient time for you to see a blatant difference.

Neem Oil

Posted by Peter H (Kent, England) on 06/09/2022
★★★★★

I originally thought that I found this cure for shingles at earth clinic, but apparently not. Wherever it was that I did find it, it proved to be an almost immediate cure. The magic is Neem oil and Propolis in liquid form. I painted both, rather awkwardly (it was on my back) with a soft paint brush, liquid before oil. Very soon those tiny bubbles were deflated along with the stinging.

Vitamin B12

Posted by Aurora (Mason City, LA) on 04/10/2021
★★★★★

Hi, I recently had shingles, with a lot of pain in one leg. I talked to a doctor friend in Mexico and he told me that they use vitamin B12 to heal and help regenerate nerves. Also, I found out that Acetyl-L Carnitine is good for neuropathy pain relief, and possibly regenerating the nerve.

Geranium Oil

Posted by Sue (South) on 11/20/2018
★★★★★

I think the ACV may work to some degree, but is overrated. The best is geranium essential oil on the spots, and L-Lysine with C taken heavily internally.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Lysine

Posted by Lori (South Florida) on 09/03/2015
★★★★★

Just realized I'm having a shingles outbreak on my inner thigh. Haven't had one in 10 yrs. Immediately took 1000mg of L-lysine and Vitamin C. Put apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and put it on the rash for a few moments. Will come back to update.

9/7/15 UPDATE: Since 9/3 I've been taking 500mg L-lysine twice a day and using Apple Cider Vinegar on the rash twice a day on a cotton ball for a few seconds. Can say the rash is drying up! A few minutes after using ACV the pain and itch goes away for most of the day. It's working!

Tea Bag Treatment

Posted by Dennise (British Columbia) on 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.

Multiple Remedies

Posted by Prioris (Fl) on 09/29/2014

Most of the immune system is in the Gut Flora. It is my theory that gut flora may play a major role in these things. Maybe even chronic meningitis. I notice when I took amoxicillin too long, the shingles would show itself. I have low level chronic infection. Maybe a sign of gut flora abnormality. Just something to ponder.

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!

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 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

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!!

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 Mom (Arizona ) on 02/16/2025

I would be careful using tahini paste with herpes zoster outbreak as the arginine content could exacerbate the shingles rather than heal it.

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!

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

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.