Treatment For Shingles Pain: Home Remedies For Shingles Rashes And Blisters

Home Treatment For Shingles

Shingles, technically known as herpes zoster, is a viral infection of the nerves that causes very painful rashes and blisters to appear on the skin. The varicella-zoster virus that causes chicken pox is responsible for causing shingles too. Once a person has had chicken pox, the virus may survive in the body in a dormant state and attack the system years later, when the natural defenses of the body are weak. The rashes generally appear on the back and on one side of the chest, on the part of the skin that covers the affected nerve. The rashes can also appear on the neck and face and are very itchy, burning and painful. Even months after the rashes have disappeared completely the skin may be tender and sore. Vaccination is the only foolproof defense against shingles. In case shingles affects your forehead and the region around your eyes, you must consult your doctor for appropriate treatment in order to prevent serious damage to the eyes.

A few home remedies may, however, help ease the painful symptoms of this condition and help the body recover faster from the infection. A popular remedy is to crush two aspirin tablets into a fine powder and dissolve this in some acetone-containing nail polish remover or some chloroform. Topical application of this mixture proves useful in lessening the itching, burning and pain in the affected area, as this cleanses away the oil and dead skin cells trapped in the blisters, and desensitizes the nerve endings for several hours. However, if you are allergic to aspirin you should refrain from trying this remedy. Applying a cold compresses on the affected area also helps relieve the symptoms of shingles and soothe the nerves. A piece of soft cotton cloth soaked in chilled water or a few ice cubes wrapped in a soft towel might serve the purpose. Regular application of calamine solution on the skin also helps greatly in soothing lesions and lessening the itchy sensation. Another useful remedy to treat shingles blisters on the chest and the back is to add half a cup of cornstarch or oatmeal powder into a tub of lukewarm bathwater and soak your body in this for 10-15 minutes. This brings relief from the itching and burning sensation. Also, before going to bed every night, dab the affected area with a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide. This is an effective way of preventing the infection from spreading. A paste made by mixing two tablespoons of zinc oxide with some yogurt is also useful in treating shingles.