Homeopathic Treatment of Shingles

Homeopathy uses highly diluted substances to treat conditions based on both the specific condition and a person's unique characteristics. For homeopathic treatment of shingles, the book "The Family Guide to Homeopathy" suggests rhus tox, arsenicum, mezereum, ranunculus or lachesis.

Rhus Toxicodendron

• Rhus tox is for red, blistered, itchy skin, especially if warmth and moving around provides some symptom relief.

Arsenicum

• Arsenicum may work if the burning pain is worse around midnight, you have numerous isolated skin eruptions that start to merge together, or you are restless, anxious, exhausted and chilly.

Lachesis

• Use lachesis for symptoms that are worse on the left side of your body.

Mezereum

• Mezereum is for severe pain, burning and itching, particularly in middle-age and elderly people.

Ranunculus

• Ranunculus is for nerve pain and itching where the slightest touch makes the symptoms worse.

Other Remedies

• Other possible homeopathic remedies for shingles suggested by the University of Michigan Medical System are apis mellifica, clematix and iris versicolor. Selecting a homeopathic treatment involves looking not only at an isolated symptom or disease but also at a person's unique response to the current stress and illness. Even with the same diagnosis, different people respond to different homeopathic remedies.