Shingles ~ Herpes zoster

7:29 PM Posted by jo

Years ago I worked in elder care back in my home country and I had a couple of clients with shingles and it was very painful for them. In elderly people the pain can persist for months or even years. I wish I would have known about essential oils and natural healing when I cared for them.

Shingles is an active short-lived viral infection of the central nervous system. It affects certain areas of the skin and the affected skin areas become sensitive. It usually starts with fever, chills and sometimes intestinal upset. The affected skin area becomes excessively sensitive on the third or fourth day and painful blisters appear on the fourth or fifth day. The blisters erupt on the nerve pathway and crust, and they normally heal within 5 days.

The shingles are caused by the Varicella zoster, which is also responsible for chicken pox. Many viruses are dormant in sensory nerves after childhood chicken pox. A compromised immune system caused by stress, illness or long-term use of corticosteroids can cause the dormant viruses to become active again.

Gary Young suggests the following single oils for shingles:
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree)
Elemi (Canarium luzonicum)
Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica)
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
Oregano ( Origanum compactum)
Blue cypress (Callitris intratropica)
Sandalwood Santalum album)
Mountain Savory Satureja montana)
Thyme thymol Thymus vulgaris CT thymol)
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

Before you leave:

I recommend that you always perform a skin patch test when you try a new oil.

Check out my safety page to make sure you are aware of any contrindications before you use essential oils. Some oils are not suitable when suffering from certain conditions. Also, Read this Before You Start Using Essential oils. Some oils should not be applied prior to sun exposure so make sure you check this list before spending time in the sun.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

Topical Application

Inhaling Essential Oils

Are You Diffusing the Oils Correctly?

How to Dilute Essential Oils

Vita Flex Technique

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.
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