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The Doctors Book of Home Remedies II: Shingles

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Shingles

Remember your childhood case of chickenpox? You probably don't want to. The maddening itch, the red spots on your skin ... please, never again!

People who have shingles, however, are not allowed to forget. If you have shingles (herpes zoster), it means the same virus that turned you into a giant connect-the-dots puzzle has found its way to the nervous system. In some people, that virus lies dormant in a nerve for decades, only to be reactivated when the immune system is weakened by age, disease or unmanaged stress.

With the onset of shingles, you get the itching all over again, along with severe burning pain and a blistering rash above the nerve on the affected side of your body (and sometimes on the face, back of the head or legs).

Of course, many things can cause a rash accompanied by pain and itching. So you can't be positive it's shingles unless you see the doctor and find out for sure. But if that's what you've got, here's how to zap it.

Get a helping hand from nail polish remover. For a homemade treatment that really works, crush two aspirin tablets (not Tylenol or another pain reliever) into a powder and mix with two tablespoons of acetone-containing nail polish remover. Stir into a solution and apply to the affected area with a clean cotton ball, advises Robert B. King, M.D., professor of neurosurgery at the State University of New York Health Science Center at Syracuse College of Medicine. To prevent possible burning, do not apply the solution to any folds in the skin where it would not have a chance to dry. Relief starts within five minutes and may last for several hours.

The acetone-based nail polish remover removes dead skin cells, soap residue and oil, while the aspirin desensitizes affected nerve endings. Don't use this mixture, however, if you are allergic to aspirin, as it may cause a reaction in some aspirin-sensitive people. Also, keep the mixture away from your eyes.

When to See the Doctor

Shingles that affect the forehead, face or anywhere near the eyes should be treated by a doctor, since there is a risk of damage to the cornea, according to Leon Robb, M.D., director of the Robb Pain Management Group in Los Angeles. Also, facial shingles may lead to temporary facial paralysis.

Since shingles is the result of a virus, doctors can usually treat it with an antiviral drug such as acyclovir (Zovirax) that slows reproduction of the virus. Steroid drugs may also be helpful, and some physicians prescribe them to prevent the pain.

You should also see your doctor if the pain is more than you can stand. Although all shingles sufferers should expect pain, superintense aching may indicate significant nerve damage.

Doctors can inject a nerve-block medication that may provide temporary relief for many people who have severe pain from shingles. And in some cases, a small implanted electrical device can help mask the pain for chronic sufferers, Dr. Robb says.

De-ooze with Domeboro. "When shingles blisters are oozing, the best thing to do is apply a compress of Domeboro astringent solution, an over-the-counter product that comes in tablets or powder and helps dry out the lesions," recommends David Feingold, M.D., chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. Domeboro is available at any drugstore. Following the directions on the package, dissolve it in a pint of water and apply the solution to your lesions with a piece of gauze. Dr. Feingold recommends that you keep the gauze on for about 20 minutes and repeat the application several times a day.

Or calm with calamine. Another effective drying agent that stops the ooze and pain is calamine lotion. "You can apply it straight on or mix a little rubbing alcohol with it," says Bruce Thiers, M.D., associate professor of dermatology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. "But make sure it's calamine--not Caladryl, which has antihistamines that can provoke an allergic reaction."

Revitalize your immunity with vitamins. Since a weakened immune system probably caused your shingles, you may get quicker relief if you strengthen your system with vitamins. In addition to prescribing medication, John G. McConahy, M.D., a dermatologist in New Castle, Pennsylvania, often advises his patients to rebuild the damaged structure of the nerve by taking 200 milligrams of vitamin C five times daily at the first sign of shingles. He also suggests a broad-spectrum multivitamin/mineral supplement that contains zinc, along with a B-complex vitamin supplement.

Try lysine. Some studies show that the amino acid lysine--available at most health food stores and drugstores--can help inhibit the spread of herpes zoster. Although no specific testing has been done on those with shingles, Leon Robb, M.D., director of the Robb Pain Management Group in Los Angeles, says that lysine may help and certainly won't hurt.

Protect against secondary infection. Any open sore can get infected, which would only cause more problems. If you have open sores or blisters caused by shingles, take action to prevent those secondary infections. "Probably the easiest thing to do is place an over-the-counter antibacterial ointment such as bacitracin on the lesions," says Dr. Feingold. "Hydrogen peroxide will also work fine." Don't overgoop your lesions, though, since they heal better when they're dry.

Don't Be Too Hot on Hot Pepper Cream

Zostrix, an over-the-counter cream, has proven to be effective against residual pain after an attack of shingles. That's because it's made from capsaicin, a derivative of hot peppers that indirectly helps prevent "pain messages" from reaching nerve cells.

But capsaicin is the stuff that makes hot peppers hot, and the cream may also bum like the dickens. Add this extra-hot stuff to the burning pain, and it could be too much--especially if you have shingles blisters. Zostrix should be used to quell pain only after all shingles blisten have disappeared.

Numb the nerves. Shingles pain often continues even after blisters have healed. But you can "confuse" your own nerve endings and ease the pain by putting a plastic bag full of ice on the area that hurts. Stroke your skin vigorously with the ice bag, advises Dr. Robb.

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