Shingles is very contagious only while rash blisters appear. By protecting your rash with Vaseline and a cotton bandage, you help keep others safe. ![]() ![]() Speaking of clothing, stick to loose, cotton clothes, especially when you’re on the mend, as that material eases the discomfort. VaselineĬovering the rash with a thin layer of Vaseline and then a large cotton bandage protects the skin from clothing and other irritants. Try to eat more carrots, squash, pumpkin, watermelon, red bell pepper, grapefruit, tomatoes, kale, parsley, spinach, melon, lettuce, and other leafy greens. This group of antioxidants includes zeaxanthin, lutein, lycopene, and provitamin A, all of which work to enhance immune function. People with shingles should aim to eat more orange, red, and green foods because they contain carotenoids. It is best to include a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains in your diet to vary your nutritional intake. Modify Your DietĪ healthy diet is integral for helping the body’s systems and organs function optimally. That may help soothe the discomfort you feel and reduce the urge to itch your skin, according to dermatologists. Only apply calamine lotion once the skin forms scabs over the blisters. The reason for this is because you do not want to cause infection. This is a very important note: do not apply calamine lotion to active blisters. Calamine LotionĬalamine lotion is an over-the-counter, topical, pink lotion that is commonly used to treat mild itchiness, pain, and discomfort. Hot water can increase blood flow and slow down the healing of sores, whereas ice increases skin sensitivity. Avoid the use of ice baths or very hot water. One thing to remember is that you do not want to expose the skin to extreme temperatures. Lightly soak a natural cotton cloth or towel in cool water and wring it out before you put it on the sore area. Cold CompressesĪpplying a cool cloth or compress against the site of the rash may relieve itchiness and reduce inflammation. Grinding oat grain into a fine powder makes up colloidal oatmeal, which soothes the skin because it contains beneficial proteins, fats, minerals, and other nutrients. Both ingredients work to calm itching and are gentle on the skin. Look for colloidal (or ground) oatmeal or baking soda and add either of those ingredients to cool bath water. These popular home remedies can help relieve itching, according to doctors. Soaking in an oatmeal or baking soda bath can soothe the skin if you have a shingles rash. The best way to help reduce the pain and severity of shingles is to care for your skin safely as it heals. Although an antiviral treatment is very effective, the following home remedies may be able to reduce pain and discomfort. While there isn’t a cure for shingles, doctors often prescribe antiviral medication to help accelerate recovery and reduce the duration of symptoms. If you think you have shingles, it’s best to see a healthcare provider as soon as possible, especially if it’s on your face or near the eyes. Other potential symptoms of shingles can include: ![]() That process, however, can be very uncomfortable and painful. Those blisters eventually rupture, scar, and fade over a few weeks. Typically, small, water-filled blisters accompany the rash. When the virus begins, you may notice pain and itching in the skin before the signature rash appears one or two days later. It can reactivate later in life in the form of the shingles rash, which can occur on any part of the body, but it typically affects small sections. If you had chickenpox as a child, the shingles virus remains dormant in the body. Various illnesses, aging, trauma, and stress can all activate the virus. Shingles refers to the reactivation of the dormant herpes varicella zoster virus (chickenpox) after childhood. About one in three people in the United States will develop shingles at some point in their lifetime. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are up to one million cases of shingles in the United States every year.
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