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Home Remedies for Herpes Zoster

Herpes zoster is a condition commonly known as shingles. It causes a rash and nerve pain, usually on part of the back and ribcage area. It is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus you probably contracted as a child. For decades, the virus hides out in a bundle of nerves called the ganglia. As we get older our immune systems lose some of their strength, allowing the virus a temporary reappearance. You may need a prescription antiviral medication to knock down the symptoms of herpes zoster, but there are some methods you can try at home to get relief, too.

  1. Basics

    • It's best not to try to diagnose yourself. Shingles has a characteristic appearance--vesicles on a red base in lines (along nerve pathways), usually on one side of the body.Within a couple of weeks you'll see the blisters burst and the sores will go away. Just before the breakout, you may feel a tremendous amount of skin sensitivity and pain. Those feelings can continue after the breakout, too, in a condition called postherpetic neuralgia. But because everyone's body responds to the herpes zoster differently, and because many conditions can cause a rash, it's best to check with your primary-care physician to be sure what your condition is.

    Home Care

    • When you're taking care of herpes zoster at home, either in conjunction with or apart from a doctor's prescription, you'll need to start with basic wound care. The blisters will open and leave extremely uncomfortable lesions. Despite their viral origin, those sores can still become infected secondarily with bacteria, causing you a longer and more troublesome battle with herpes zoster. So keep the sores as clean as possible, and don't scratch the sores if you can help it. Just as important, make sure you're following healthy lifestyle habits so your immune system will be in a position to trounce the herpes zoster virus. The keys factors are getting adequate rest, eating vitamin-rich meals and getting some exercise.

    Compresses

    • You can make the blisters feel better, and possibly cause them to dry out sooner, by applying compresses of cool tap water. Keep the compress on the affected area for about 20 minutes. Repeat several times per day. This method can also make the scabs go away faster and it can reduce the chance of a secondary bacterial infection. Discontinue using the compresses once the blisters have dried up; otherwise, the skin around the shingles-affected area can get dried out and cause additional itching. Be careful, also, when dealing with weeping blisters. The fluid contains virus particles that can cause chickenpox in a person who has never had the infection. Wash your hands after touching the blisters.

    Applications

    • Shingles can cause not only pain but also terrible itching. One good way to relieve the problem is with calamine lotion. When you have blisters, they can be dried out with aluminum acetate-containing preparations, available in drug stores. Some people also find relief with aloe vera lotion.For an approach sometimes used by practitioners of alternative medicine, mix 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar with 2 cups of water, then wet a cotton cloth with the mixture and rub it onto the rash. This method may give you some relief from the discomfort of herpes zoster.

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