{"id":403,"date":"2018-08-22T13:56:26","date_gmt":"2018-08-22T13:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/?p=403"},"modified":"2018-08-22T13:56:43","modified_gmt":"2018-08-22T13:56:43","slug":"shingles-herpes-zoster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/shingles-herpes-zoster\/","title":{"rendered":"Shingles (Herpes Zoster) &#8211; Complementary and Alternative Treatments"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-404\" src=\"http:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Herpes-Zoster.jpg\" alt=\"Shingles\" width=\"700\" height=\"459\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Herpes-Zoster.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Herpes-Zoster-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Herpes-Zoster-624x409.jpg 624w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Description<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus, the very same virus that causes chickenpox. In fact, shingles usually hits only those who have already had chickenpox. After chickenpox has run its course, the herpes zoster virus retreats into the body&#8217;s nerve cells, where it lies dormant. In most people, the virus remains inactive, but in some the virus reactivates, developing into shingles. Why this happens is not known.<\/p>\n<p>The first symptom, a pain or tingling, occurs as the virus travels along anyone of the peripheral nerves that spread out from your spine. This sensation is felt only in the area of your face or body that is served by the affected nerve. The virus causes a localized infection, and two or three days later a rash appears as the virus reaches the skin&#8217;s nerve endings. For the next three to five days, the rash reaches its zenith. After that, the blisters form crusts that eventually fall off.<\/p>\n<p>Though shingles can affect anyone, the condition is most common in individuals older than 60.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Signs and Symptoms<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tingling or painful sensation in a localized area on one side of the body or face, followed by a rash of small, red, fluid-filled blisters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Conventional Medical Treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your physician can diagnose shingles by physically examining the resulting rash. There is no treatment that can eradicate the virus, but antiviral drugs, such as acyclovir, may shorten the duration of symptoms. Analgesics are the mainstay of treatment to relieve pain. Fortunately, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skin-disorders.net\/diseases\/herpes-zoster.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">herpes zoster<\/a> is usually not a serious condition, though some individuals experience residual pain along one of their peripheral nerves for months or years after the rash disappears. Those who suffer from shingles on the face should be alert to any eye pain. If an infection develops in the eye-perhaps from rubbing the pained eye-it can result in reduced sight. Discuss this with your physician immediately.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Complementary and Alternative Treatments<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nutrition and Supplementation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Eat lightly and include in your diet brewer&#8217;s yeast, brown rice, garlic, raw fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Drink plenty of pure water and cleansing herbal teas. Avoid nuts, seeds, chocolate, and supplements containing the amino acid arginine.<\/p>\n<p>Nutritionists recommend the following daily supplements to treat shingles:<\/p>\n<p>Most Important<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>L-lysine (500 mg 3 times daily, on an empty stomach)-heals and fights the virus that causes shingles<\/li>\n<li>vitamin C with bioflavonoids (2000 mg 4 times daily)-fights the virus and boosts the immune system<\/li>\n<li>vitamin B complex (100 mg 3 times daily)-necessary for nerve health<\/li>\n<li>zinc (80 mg for 1 week, then reduce to 50 mg; do not exceed a daily amount of 100 mg from all supplements)-enhances immunity and protects against infection; use lozenge form<\/li>\n<li>a prodophilus formula<\/li>\n<li>thymus live cell therapy support<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also Recommended<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>calcium (1500 mg)-heals nerves and improves their function; combats stress<\/li>\n<li>magnesium (750 mg)-balances with calcium<\/li>\n<li>garlic (as directed on label)-builds up the immune system<\/li>\n<li>vitamin D (1000 IU 2 times daily for 1 week, then reduce to 400 IU)-heals tissue; necessary for calcium absorption<\/li>\n<li>vitamin E (400 to 800 lU)-prevents formation of scar tissue; can also be applied directly to affected areas of skin<\/li>\n<li>flaxseed oil (as directed on label)-promotes the healing of skin and nerve tissue<\/li>\n<li>grape seed extract (as directed on label)-protects skin cells; decreases the number of out breaks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>(Consult your healthcare provider regarding the duration of treatment.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aromatherapy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mix 5 drops of one of the following essential oils into 1 teaspoon vegetable oil: bergamot, tea tree, rose, or lavender. Apply this mixture directly to the lesions to aid healing and diminish discomfort. You can also add a few drops of those oils to warm bath water for relaxation and to aid healing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ayurvedic Medicine<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Some Ayurvedic practitioners suggest spreading a turmeric paste over the affected area to lessen pain and speed healing. Be aware that turmeric will impart a yellow stain to clothing and skin.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bodywork and Somatic Practices<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Very gentle methods, such as reflexology, CranioSacral Therapy, Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, and polarity therapy can be used.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Description Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus, the very same virus that causes chickenpox. In fact, shingles usually hits only those who have already had chickenpox. After chickenpox has run its course, the herpes zoster virus retreats into the body&#8217;s nerve cells, where it lies dormant. In most people, the virus remains inactive, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/shingles-herpes-zoster\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Shingles (Herpes Zoster) &#8211; Complementary and Alternative Treatments&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-alternative-treatment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=403"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":405,"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/403\/revisions\/405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.health-care-clinic.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}