In this article, we’ll cover the following:

    • About Shingles
    • How To Stay Away From Shingles
    • Why Coconut Oil for Shingles?
    • How to Apply Coconut Oil for Shingles Treatment of shingles vaccine

Let’s Talk About Shingles

The Varicella zoster virus causes shingles, often known as herpes zoster. It can lie latent in your nerve cells until you reach an advanced age. The virus can cause nerve damage, resulting in severe pain and shingles rash.

When you have shingles, it could lead to viral infection, and you’ll experience painful sores caused by a Varicella zoster virus. It gives you an uncomfortable and embarrassing feeling throughout the infection. It’s the same virus that causes Chickenpox.

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Shingles Causes And Risk Factors

You may have had Chickenpox previously. As a result, anyone who has had Chickenpox may be at a higher risk of developing shingles. Though it heals over time with medications, the virus becomes dormant and stays in your nerve roots. It might be forever inactive to some people. But, it can recur. When this virus becomes active and recurs, that’s when Shingles occur. Adults with weak immune systems and over 50 years old are prone to Shingles.

Shingles don’t cause shingles. However, it may spread the virus to a person who never had Chickenpox in their entire life. Then they’ll suffer from Chickenpox. To prevent the virus from spreading, you should:

  • Keep the shingle-affected area clean and covered.
  • Always wash your hands with water and soap.
  • Stay away from babies, pregnant women, children who haven’t had Chickenpox, and older people. Their immune system isn’t strong enough to protect themselves from the virus.

When you have shingles, you’ll first experience headaches and flu. Then you’ll start feeling itchy and pain in the affected area. A rash then appears in this area. The rash then evolves into a group of blisters that are filled with fluid. These blisters may take 2-4 weeks before it gets healed, and sadly, they may leave a scar.

Let’s Talk About The Stages and Symptoms

First Stage: Prodromal Phase

The prodromal phase, often known as the initial stage, is characterized by symptoms such as:

  • Headache
  • Pain and burning on one side of the body or in tiny spots all over
  • Discomfort or malaise
  • Photophobia

Second Stage: Acute Phase

A dermatomal rash characterizes the second stage or acute phase.

The rash has the following characteristics:

  • Blisters that are fluid-filled and quickly break
  • Patches of red
  • A rash that wraps over your body on one side
  • A rash that appears on the cheeks and ears

Other symptoms of such rashes include unbearable itching, fever, chills, headache, exhaustion, and discomfort. The rashes usually last 7-10 days; most people recover in 4 weeks.

Third Stage

All shingles patients seldom observe the third stage of shingles. It is linked to difficulties such as:

  • Rashes affecting the eyes
  • Postherpetic neuralgia is a disorder that affects nerve fibers and the skin.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome can include:

  • Hearing loss.
  • Intense discomfort in one ear.
  • Disorientation.
  • A loss of taste on the tongue.
  • Bacterial infections that followed

As we previously stated, shingles are caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is also responsible for chickenpox. Let’s take a look at shingles’ causes and risk factors.

How To Stay Away From Shingles

  • If you have never had Chickenpox, get yourself and your children vaccinated. Although the vaccination may not prevent everyone from developing Chickenpox, it has been proven effective in 9 out of 10 people who have had it.
  • Adults between the ages of 50 and 60 should have a shingles vaccination.

Because shingles are infectious, you must take care to prevent the virus from spreading to others.

Here’s what you must do:

  • Cover your rash/blisters until they are totally dry.
  • Do not share utensils.
  • Should wash hands often. Avoid those who have never had Chickenpox or have a weak immune system.

If you see your doctor for Shingles treatment, they’ll probably prescribe you antiviral medications to help heal your rashes faster. On the other hand, there are several natural home remedies that you can try, just like coconut oils.

Why Coconut Oil For Shingles?

Coconut oil keeps popping with new health benefits since it contains many healthy nutrients. These nutrients benefit our body, hair, skin, and much more.

Coconut oil contains antiviral properties that may help kill any virus in our body that causes infection.

The virus that causes Shingles is no exception. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties that may help heal the blisters faster. Applying coconut oil may assist in speeding up the healing process. You can continually use coconut oil after the treatment of Shingles to prevent the formation of possible scars.

How to Apply Coconut Oil for Shingles Treatment

For treating shingles, make sure you’re using virgin coconut oil (VCO). You should make this coconut oil application regularly after cleaning your blisters.

You’ll need:
Two tablespoons coconut oil; cotton ball

  1. Clean the affected area.
  2. Pour a sufficient amount of coconut oil into a bowl or any container.
  3. Soak a cotton ball in coconut oil.
  4. Gently apply it to the blisters.

Speed up the treatment of Shingles the natural way using virgin coconut oil. You can also take medications prescribed by your doctor while applying coconut oil to your blisters.

However, you should always remember that if the symptoms are persistent and make you uncomfortable, you should go and see your doctor.