Homemade Anti-Shingles Salve
If you are experiencing a Shingles infection, then you know firsthand how disruptive it can be to your everyday life. Antiviral meds can treat Shingles if you’re diagnosed early enough. But using natural salves and holistic methods can help lessen the severity and duration of your symptoms even more than just medicine alone. You can even use a DIY Anti-Shingles Salve to treat the rash daily and stop it from itching.
What Is Shingles?
Shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The varicella-zoster virus also causes chickenpox. So, if you’ve had chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus is still in your body and may reactivate as shingles at any time.
The worst part about having shingles is the itchy, burning, and painful rash you get. The pain from the rash can be moderate to severe. Most people experience the most severe pain about 4 or 5 days after their symptoms begin.
The first symptom of Shingles is a burning sensation around your torso a day before the rash appears. The rash usually develops on the sides of your torso and will form a stripe of raised red blisters. When the blisters begin to ooze and dry, then the rash will scab over and heal.
Natural Remedies and Treatments for Shingles
If you’ve had the rash for a while, there is still a lot you can do to treat your shingles. Just like most afflictions, it’s best to do everything you can to take care of your body from the inside out to avoid unnecessary suffering.
Strengthen Your Immune System
You’ll want to do everything you can to strengthen your immune system, to avoid getting recurrent shingles. Your immune system is your body’s first defense against infections and sickness.
Your immune system benefits from healthy lifestyle choices like exercising, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep. Zinc, garlic, Vitamin C, sunlight, and sunflower seeds are great for your immune system as well.
Smoking, drinking, and overindulging in unhealthy foods wreak havoc on your immune system. These things are toxic to your body.
Stress is also terrible for your immune system. If you deal with chronic stress, try indulging in activities that are healthy and relaxing to you. You can try to meditate, read, workout, sing, or dance to ease stress.
Cold Compress and Cool Baths
The pain and itch you experience with shingles is mostly coming from the nerves within your body. So, when you feel the itching is unbearable, a cold compress, cool bath or cold shower may help you.
The cold water constricts blood vessels and decreases circulation to the area. This will trick your mind into feeling some temporary relief. You only want to use this method for 20 minutes at a time.
Keep the Rash Dry and Exposed
The key to healing a shingles rash is to keep it dry, exposed, and clean. You want to keep it that way so that the blisters heal faster and also to avoid infection.
Avoid wearing tight clothing and do not bandage the rash so that the skin can breathe. Periodically, you may need to use a dry disposable towel to dry the ooze.
I’ve also read in this Viral & Immune System Protocol that Lemon balm shows promising results in the treatment of shingles, used both internally and topically, with a suggested dose of 2 dropperfuls of tincture, three times daily.
Do Not Scratch the Rash
Whatever you do, do not scratch your blistery rash! Scratching shingles can cause infection and make the pain and rash even worse. If you are having a hard time avoiding scratching your rash, just keep in mind that shingles will itch and burn even more once you scratch it. You can use the DIY Anti-Shingles Salve in the section below to stop the itching and facilitate the healing process.
DIY Anti-Shingles Salve
This homemade salve is like calamine lotion and will keep your shingles rash dry, clean, and help with itchiness. Each ingredient does its part to help you heal and get relief.
Bentonite Clay is a soft natural clay that forms a paste when mixed with water. Once it dries onto the skin, it draws out impurities like the ooze in shingles. The clay is antiviral and anti-inflammatory, making it ideal for healing rashes.
Baking Soda is an old household remedy for rashes. It helps to relieve swelling and soothe itching by restoring the skin’s natural alkalinity. Baking soda is also antiviral and anti-inflammatory.
Sea salt is effective for treating rashes because of its mineral content and anti-inflammatory properties. Salt contains minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium that nourishes the skin. Magnesium is an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial mineral that eases itching and draws out moisture.
Lavender Essential Oil has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and sedative effects. It’s also ideal for those dealing with shingles since its aroma helps you to relax.
Tea Tree Essential Oil has an antiviral effect that helps to soothe and relieve painful shingles rashes. It helps to reduce redness and swelling. Tea Tree is also effective at drying and healing shingle blisters with minimal irritation.
How to Make a DIY Anti-Shingles Salve
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup filtered water
- ¼ cup bentonite clay
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1-2 drops lavender essential oil
- 1-2 drops tea tree essential oil
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
Method:
Step 1: Mix the bentonite clay and water. Stir with spatula until a thick paste forms.
Step 2: Add baking soda & sea salt to your bentonite clay paste.
Step 3: Mix paste again. Make sure to scrap the sides of the bowl so that everything is well incorporated.
Step 4: In a separate bowl, combine the lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil, and coconut oil.
Step 5: Add all the oil into the paste and combine well.
Step 6: Transfer your mixture to a salve container. Store salve away from sunlight and moisture. You can also store this mixture in the fridge, so it is cool and soothing when you use it.
How to Use
Cleanse rash with mild soap and rinse thoroughly. Generously apply your DIY Anti-Shingles Salve to your rash. Let the paste completely dry onto skin. Reapply as needed.
chaparral is a natural anti-viral agent that helps the body get rid of chicken pox and shingles. Topical or oral.
How is it available? Ingest it or topical and where is it sourced? I would like to naturally defend myself from shingles. Thanx.
With the bentonite clay, would this salve work for poison ivy?
A tea made from the leaves of a Polly Redhead tree (Hamelia patens) is claimed to cure shingles. This tree is found in tropical areas. Place the leaves in hot water, let it brew as it cools. Wipe the tea over the rash or itchy areas and let it air dry.
Do not confuse with Butterfly Weed, an herbal plant that is toxic and is also sometimes called Polly Redhead.
Wikipedia lists these common names for Hamelia patens: “firebush, hummingbird bush, scarlet bush, and redhead. In Belize, this plant’s Mayan name is Ix Canaan and is also known as “Guardian of the Forest”. “