What are shingles?
Also known as herpes zoster, shingles is an infection which is caused due to varicella-zoster virus. This virus generates painful skin rashes along with blisters. It is basically a reactivation of the chickenpox virus, but it generally only affects one section of the body. In a few words, anyone who has dealt with chickenpox in the past is probably vulnerable to shingles.

Usually, this type of infection affects elderly individuals who have a frail immune system.

How do shingles occur?
The virus which is responsible for causing chicken pox, stays dormant after you have recovered from the disease. Like mentioned before, if you are dealing with a weak immunity, then this varicella virus gets activated and triggers shingles. You might be wondering that like chicken pox, shingles must be contagious too. Although, this isn’t the case, shingles does not spread from person to person. But there is a chance that you might contract the virus if you have never had chickenpox before.

Some of the most common symptoms of shingles are –

• Painful, itchy or tingling blisters which are filled with secretions.
• Major reddening of the affected body area.
• Feverish condition which may also involve chills and upset tummy.

What are some effective shingles remedies?
When you are suffering from an uncomfortable infection like shingles, the first thing on your to-do list must be consulting a doctor. This is because shingles affects the nerve under the skin, so you must confirm that there is no potential risk of nerve damage. Also, your doctor will be a better judge of what medical treatments will work for you. He/she will be able to prescribe you with appropriate medications and topical creams or ointments. Apart from the necessary medical treatment, here are some effective shingles remedies that you can consider using.

Personal care and hygiene – Since shingles is a skin infection, you must ensure that the affected area is not irritated. Here are some easy but effective hygiene measures you should ideally take for accelerate the healing process.

• Keep the blisters as clean and dry as possible, so that they don’t get aggravated due additional bacterial moisture.
• Choose to wear comfortable clothing, preferably cotton fabrics as it won’t make your body perspire continuously.
• If you are wearing a medical dressing to cover your blisters from oozing, then ensure it isn’t an adhesive one. Also keep changing it on a regular basis so, that’s doesn’t worsen the infection.
• Only use anti-bacterial topical powders or lotions which are recommended by your dermatologist.

Food regime– It is important to remember that shingles is caused when your body’s immunity isn’t strong enough to fight off viruses. So, take holistic measures, and start by improving your eating habits. Consume foods which are rich in Vitamin A, B1, B12, C, and E. Tomatoes, dairy products, chicken, beans, sea food, eggs, leafy vegetables, colorful fruits, legumes, potatoes, cereals and nuts, are some of the ingredients which can help heal shingles at a faster rate.
Cut down on having foods that have refined sugar, carbohydrates, arginine and unhealthy levels of saturated fats. This comprises of ingredients like bread, white rice, chocolate, caffeine, etc. Don’t forget to nourish your body by drinking lots of water. This will help eliminating the fluid in the blisters rapidly.

Alcohol and smoking – It is imperative that you cease excessive smoking or drinking as these can slow down your recovery speed and lead to dehydration as well. Alcohol also tremendously alters the effectiveness of the shingles medications. Therefore, exercise some self-restraint while your body is regaining its strength.

Cold compress – Using a cold compress is one of the oldest shingles remedies. You can use this to lessen the soreness and itchiness bothering the affected area. This will reduce your urge to scratch the area constantly, preventing intensified reddening. To get the desired results you must use a cold compress several times a day.
If cold compress seems inconvenient, then you can try taking a cold shower to soothe your skin. You can do this twice a day. Avoid taking hot baths or showers at all costs, as they can aggravate skin.

Topical paste – You use a mixture, either made of cornstarch or baking powder. Just simply blend any of these ingredients with water and make a paste. Then apply it on the blisters and keep it for 15 to 25 minutes. You can then remove it by using a wet towel. This method will help your skin to be dry and bacteria free. It ideally should be used two to three times a day.