Shingles is commonly seen in elderly people, but on occasion it is detected among young people too. It comes from the same virus varicella-zoster, which gave us chicken-pox. If proper care is not taken you may loose your eyesight or even suffer from facial paralysis.

Shingles are also known as herpes zoster which spreads through your skin in the form of a rash or blister similar to chicken-pox. It is associated with grueling pain, itchiness, burning sensation and sometimes even numbness.

Before the rash appears you develop pain and tenderness on a particular area of your body. It may sometime take more than a week before the rash appears. You develop red spots before it erupts into blisters.

Shingles develops on one side of your body (left or right) due to a particular nerve which causes this development. It also affects other parts of your body like heads and limbs. When it affects your cheek it would surely affect your eyes, be extra careful during such times and consult your doctor immediately.

Once the blisters burst open they get healed within a week. Light scars are left which will disappear soon. Shingles may not be a deadly disease but it may prove to be dangerous for people suffering from HIV infection or getting cancer treatments, as the immune system is very weak. People who are getting organ transplants are also under threat as doctors suppress the immune system with drugs.

Home Remedies For Shingles:

• Powder two aspirin tablets and mix it in 2 tbsp of chloroform or alcohol. Apply this paste on the affected area. This will provide good relief.
• You can apply wet dressing to soothe the burning sensation
• Avoid being in humid areas. Always keep yourself cool.
• When blisters get infected, dab them with hydrogen peroxide.
• Keep the blisters open and dry. Do not burst the blisters by scratching.
• To provide relief, make a solution by mixing 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar in 2 cups of water. Use a cotton cloth to moisten the affected areas by using the upward movement.
• To prevent itching and to reduce pain you can dust colloidal powder.
• You can make a solution by mixing aloe vera gel, raw honey and leek juice to be applied on the rash.
• You can also sponge the blisters or rashes by use of vitamin E oil, apple cider vinegar, cool goldenseal, mugwort or peppermint tea.
• Baking soda and water solution can also be applied as a cold compress.
• Apply a mixture of yogurt and zinc oxide along the particular path of the nerve. If it is applied before the outbreak it would help to curb the outburst of blisters.
• Avoid food which contain amino acid such as chocolate, cereal grains, nuts and seeds
• Eating pear of having its juice in ample amounts is good, as it has a great supply of antiviral caffeic acid.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.