Shingles is a skin disease caused by the same virus that is responsible for causing chicken pox. Usually, it does not have any serious implications or complications. But the rashes and blisters caused by shingles lead to extreme pain, burning sensation, and itching. Though, with a large number of effective and helpful home remedies to treat these problems, one does not necessarily have to bear these discomforts or pain. Therefore, here we bring to you nine such home remedies for shingles and its associated problems that help tremendously.
The treatments listed here include the use of simple household items like ice, mint leaves, aloe vera, garlic, nail polish remover, aspirin, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and flax seeds. These substances are easily available and there is hardly any side effect of these. These treatments are easy to apply, do not require much effort or investment of time and money and yet these home remedies are extremely useful and highly effective.
Ice
Using ice to treat shingles is probably the simplest treatment that one can find. Ice can be found in any household and you need absolutely no investment of time or money for this remedy. Take a clean cloth or towel and dampen it with cold water. Then wrap or place the same around the area where the rash or blisters have occurred. Then pour ice cold water on the cloth. Apply this cold water and towel treatment for around 20 minutes and take away the cloth for the next twenty minutes. Repeat this process until you find relief from the grueling pain of the blisters. Alternatively, you can place ice cubes in a plastic bag or a cloth and apply it on the rash.
You can even make away with the cloth or bag and apply the ice directly on the rash or blisters. This treatment will reduce the pain and the itching as well as hasten the healing process. Ice treatment is also helpful in removing dead cells as well as improving the blood flow in the affected area. This in return helps to hinder the viral activities faster helping you to recover from shingles faster.
Baking soda
Baking soda is another item that is found almost in every household. Applying this for getting relief from shingles and its pain is also pretty simple. Take a bowl or container and pour half liter clean and cold water in it. Add 1 tablespoon of baking soda into it and mix it. Now, take a clean cloth or cotton ball and dampen it in the same water. Very gently wash the rashes with this cloth soaked in the baking soda mixed water. Wipe lightly so that you do not pop or burst the blisters accidentally. Try to use this solution for cold compress to treat the problem. This treatment reduces the itching and pain caused by the blisters or rashes and also helps in healing faster.
Apple cider vinegar
Take a container and pour half cup of apple cider vinegar in it. Add two cups of water into it. Take soft, cotton cloth or cotton balls and soak this mixture into the cotton ball. Gently wipe the blisters or rashes with the damp cotton ball in an upward motion. Let the blisters soak in generous amount of the liquid mixture applied on them. Repeat this application at least twice or thrice a day for best and quick result. The properties of apple cider vinegar are extremely helpful in healing shingles. Therefore, the application of apple cider vinegar speeds up the healing process while keeping the affected area clean and free from infection. This is a helpful, effective and quick fix for dealing with shingles as well as the rashes and blisters caused by it.
Mint
Mint has been known as a cooling agent for long. And for the same cooling properties along with some other healing elements, mint is one of the best home remedies for blisters, rashes, and shingles. Take a few fresh mint leaves and grind them into a fine paste. Apply this paste directly on the rash or blisters with the help of cotton balls. Keep this paste on the affected area for around 15 minutes and thereafter wash it off. Repeat this treatment for at least 3 to 4 times a day. Mint paste would help to sooth the area and give your relief from the burning sensation, itchiness, and pain. At the same time, it would also help in speeding up the healing process. This is indeed one of the best home remedies for shingles
Garlic
Another simple to apply a home remedy that is highly effective in treating shingles is the application of garlic. Garlic has strong anti-viral properties that help to fight the infection caused by the virus. Thus, the use of garlic increases the speed of the healing process and makes the affected area infection free. It is also a very common element used in cooking and hence is found in most households. There is hardly any cost or time involved in acquiring or applying garlic.
To be benefited by garlic, take a few cloves of it and crush them to make a paste. Take the help of clean cotton cloth or cotton balls to apply this paste on the entire affected area. You will get immense relief from the pain and the problem of shingles itself in a very short time. The only side effect that can bother is the strong smell that garlic contains.
Aloe vera
Aloe vera has powerful anti-viral and anti-microbial properties. Along with that, it also contains strong healing elements. Therefore, aloe vera is very suitable and recommended as one of the best home remedies for shingles and its accompanying problems. To gain benefit from aloe vera, take a few leaves of it and cut them. Squeeze out the gel from the cut aloe vera leaves. Apply this aloe vera gel directly on the rash or the affected area and let it remain there. Apply this gel twice or thrice a day for fast result. You can also make a mixture of aloe vera gel, leek juice, and raw honey and apply the same on the blisters and rash. Using aloe vera in any one of the mentioned two ways can help in speeding up the healing process and getting relief from the discomforts of the rash.
Aspirin
Crush two tablets of aspirin and mix them with chloroform to make a smooth paste. Use this paste on the rash or blisters directly. This would help in the quick elimination of all the problems associated with shingles. The blisters and rash would reduce and would heal faster as well as the pain, itching and burning sensation will cease immediately for a time period. You can replace chloroform with alcohol and the remedy will be equally effective. This is not only an effective and helpful home remedy for shingles but also a very popular one for treating the problem. Acquiring the ingredients for this remedy is also not difficult as you would easily find aspiring and chloroform in medicine shops.
Nail polish remover – one of the most unique home remedies for shingles
Nail polish remover can also work wonders to treat, soothe and heal shingles. Apply nail polish remover directly on the rash or blisters with the help of cotton balls. It would help to remove the dead cells and oil from the applied area. It would also remove germs from the affected area. Not only that, it will also provide a soothing feeling in the affected area and would reduce the burning sensation. Moreover, it would hasten up the healing process while providing relief, though temporary, from the pain of shingles. Nail polish remover is also a very common item in any household that a woman resides in. It is also easily available in any local store. Just make sure that the remover that you use is acetone based.
Flax seeds
Flax seeds may be very tiny but they are a powerhouse of important nutrients. The Omega 3 fatty acid in flax seeds are a great and helpful remedy for many skin problems. Flax seeds are very powerful in fighting with and removing the virus from the body that causes shingles. Along with that, it also contains an immense ability to heal skin problems and sooth the skin. Thus, to treat shingles you must include a teaspoon of flax seeds in your daily diet. It would cure your shingles faster and also relieve you from a lot of irritations and pain that shingles bring along with it. But people with irritable bowel syndrome should take special precaution while taking flax seeds as they may have a strong negative reaction to it.
