Shaking off shingles Q: I have been suffering with shingles for 10 weeks now and am using conventional medicine without much luck. Can you help me find something natural that might bring a little relief? Dr. Wright: Since your condition has been present for so many weeks, it is possible that you could be suffering from post-herpetic neuralgia, a continuing irritation of the nerves even after the active infection has subsided. A study published in 2003 suggested that topical geranium oil might be a good option for immediate relief. The more highly concentrated, the better, with study participants reporting pain relief in direct proportion to the percentage of geranium oil present in their topical mixture. Capsaicin cream has also been shown to provide some relief, although it was outdone by the geranium oil in this study. Even if the infection from the herpes virus that causes shingles has subsided, taking general "infection- prevention" steps would still be a good way to support your system overall. I discussed these at some length in the April 2001 issue of Nutrition & Healing, which subscribers can download and view for free by visiting www.wrightnewsletter.com and logging on to the Archives with the username and password printed on page 8 of your most recent newsletter. But, in the meantime, just to briefly recap, general recommendations include: eliminating sugar, refined carbohydrates, and allergies (if any). Also, incorporating at least 25,000 IU of vitamin A, 25 milligrams of zinc, and 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C, twice daily can boost the protection even more. |
