What are Shingles (Herpes Zoster)?
Shingles is a common viral infection of the nerve roots caused by human herpes virus 3 (HHV3) also known as varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella).
It is characterized by an outbreak of fluid-filled skin blisters along with mild-to-severe nerve pain (neuralgia), generally affecting one side of the body.
- Primary infection with VZV causes chickenpox.
- Even after the chickenpox resolves completely, the virus remains hidden and inactive in the roots of the spinal nerves.
- It can reactivate anytime later in the person's life to cause "herpes zoster". Click to read on Causes of Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
- In Greek language, the word "herpes" means "to creep" and "zoster" means "a belt or girdle"
- Shingles is derived from the Latin word "cingulum" which means "a belt".
- Anyone who has had chickenpox or has taken the chickenpox vaccine can develop herpes zoster.
What Happens In Shingles?
Quick Look
- Flu-like symptoms such as headache, fatigue, low-grade fever along with itching and pain.
- Red raised rashes on one side of the body in the form of a band.
- Acute pain that may range from mild to severe, along the band of eruptions.
- Rash turns into fluid-filled blisters which later start oozing and ultimately result in ulcer or scar formation at the affected region.
- Severe fatigue and malaise.
What Can Shingles Lead To?
- Complications of the eyes such as eye ulcers, lazy eye due to weakening of eye muscles and rarely even damage to the retina.
- Post herpetic nerve pain or severe, recurrent pain along the affected nerves following a shingles attack that may last for a few months or even years after resolution of the shingles.
- Palsy or weakness of the facial muscles on one side due to affection of the nerves of the face.
- Rarely, widespread herpes infection can affect multiple vital organs such as liver, lungs, brain, etc. causing critical illnesses and even death.
How Well Homeopathy Works In Treatment of Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
- Homeopathy offers the most definitive treatment for this stubborn disease condition.
- Homeopathy significantly reduces the intensity and duration of symptoms
- Homeopathy (given early) helps prevent the dreaded complications in most cases
- Post herpetic nerve pain that can cripple patients for years, is completely relieved within weeks with homeopathic treatment for shingles (herpes zoster)
Homeopathy has fantastic treatment for Post-Herpetic Neuralgia, a condition which may be persisting for many days, months and sometime for years and the recovery is so good and fast that lot of time, the pain comes under control in a shorter duration of time.
Few of our amazing remedies for Shingles include:
- Natrum Muriaticum for Shingles with marked periodicity of attacks, pain is worse from sunrise to sunset.
- Lachesis for left-sided shingles with inability to bear slightest touch, worse during and after sleep.
- Dulcamara for shingles with sensitive bleeding ulcers & itching that are worse in cold, wet weather.
- Lycopodium for post herpetic nerve pain that is worse from 4 to 8 p.m.
Just look at the uniqueness of every symptom where even the minutest point is given importance and the medicines are differentiated based on their uniqueness.
