Using homeopathic treatments for shingles can result in an almost miraculous healing or they may be completely ineffective. The results depend largely on your ability to define your symptoms and relate them to the homeopath with whom you are working. This is because in homeopathy certain medications are for certain symptoms rather than certain diseases. It is important to think about your symptoms, the situations and events that led up to your outbreak, and even your food preferences. If you are prescribing for yourself, look carefully at the symptoms list and find the remedy that has the most similar group of symptoms to yours.
What Are Shingles?
Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a complication of the chicken pox virus that may lay dormant for years. Although it is commonly believed to only affect adults, in truth it can affect any age group.
Shingles outbreaks are characterized by a painful eruptions on the skin that appears as a blotchy red patch on one side of the body. This red area, which looks much like a scald, changes over a period of time into a collection of small blisters. These eventually crust over and heal. The healing may take up to twenty days. In many cases the pain can begin up to fourteen days before the outbreak of the rash.
It is important to see your health care provider in person if the rash spreads to the eye area, or if you are in extensive pain.
Common Homeopathic Treatments for Shingles
While homeopathy is an exacting science, there are some treatments that are more common than others. Using your list, find the symptoms that come the closest to yours. It should be apparent fairly quickly that you have chosen the correct homeopathic treatment for shingles.
All remedies given are assumed at 12x potency.
Apis
- Large blisters
- Burning and stinging pain
- Cold relieves the pain
- Restlessness
- Whiny
- Tearful
- Worse in the afternoon
- Drowsy
- Fever with no thirst
- Unusually high fever
- Patient is awkward, drops things
- Patient feels better in the open air
- Better when uncovered
- Worse from Touch
- Worse from heat
Ars Alb
- Blisters join together
- Intense pain, relieved by warmth
- Restless, worse after midnight
- Unreasonable fear of death
- Slightest exertion exhausts them
- Pain is burning
Mezereum
- Small, very itchy blisters
- Blisters dry quickly and form thick scabs
- Pain continues after blisters have healed
- Patient is chilly
- Pain is worse in cold air
- Pain is worse above the eye and between the ribs
- Patient is elderly
- Scabs are brownish
Ranunc Bulb
This is the most used homeopathic treatment for shingles. If you cannot decide between this and another remedy, try this one first.
- With severe neuralgic pain, especially affecting the chest wall
- Clusters of blisters
- Worse with movement
- Burning and itching pain
- Tender to touch
- Worse during wet weather and storms
- Worse in the evening
- Worse with eating
- Rash is mainly on the trunk of the body
- Blisters are bluish
Rhus Tox
- Small blisters that itch and tingle
- Surrounding skin appears to be swollen
- Local warm compresses help the pain
- Restlessness
- Apprehension
- Depression
- Worse at night
- Even the smallest fever may lead to delirium
- Odd dreams
- Better in warm, dry weather
- Better with rubbing
- Better while moving around
- Worse during sleep or rest
- Worse with overheating
- Worse with lying on the back or the right side
If you are still unsure there is a checklist on ABC Homeopathy that may prove helpful.
Homeopathic Dosage and Tips
You cannot overdose on homeopathic remedies and they will not react with any other medication you may be taking. It is fine to take your remedy along with what the doctor has prescribed if you want to do so. It is important, however, to take the medications in a clean mouth. That means that you have not had food water, nor brushed your teeth for at least thirty minutes prior to taking the remedy. Maintain a clean mouth for thirty minutes after as well.
While you are on the treatment stay away from caffeine and mint, including mint flavored toothpaste. These can interfere with the remedy.
No matter what the remedy, common recommendations are as follows:
- Take the selected remedy four times a day until the blisters begin to dry and crust over.
- Remedies are to be dissolved under the tongue unless otherwise directed.
- If you are taking Mezerium for pain and the blisters dry but the pain continues keep taking it in four doses (per day) until you have improvement that is maintained for a day or so.
- Tip tablets into the mouth straight from the bottle. Do not touch them.
- Never put a tablet that has been accidentally removed from the container back into it. Just throw it away.
Proper Use of Remedies
Proper use of homeopathic treatments for shingles can bring positive results in a very short period of time. If your symptoms do not respond to the remedy that you have chosen, then go over your symptoms again and try the remedy that seems to list most of your symptoms. As always, if your symptoms worsen, or if you do not get relief, talk to your health care provider.
