Shingles are the lay term for herpes zoster...not related to the sexually transmitted herpes but more along the lines of chicken pox virus. Very painful as it occurs along the nerve roots and pathways as an inflammation. It can lie dormant at the nerve root and flair up during times of stress, fatigue, illness, etc. Usually starts after the age of 50 if it is going to happen but not always...one can get it at a younger age.
It can be accompanied by blisters or a rash or just a reddened area where the nerves end at the skin layers. It usually is on one side of the body, usually occurs at the same place each time but not always. Is contagious if the blisters are weeping or sloughing skin cells. Good hand washing and not touching the rash/keeping it covered is a good idea.
There are anti-viral meds for this that can make the duration of the outbreak shorter but they are very expensive.
Anti-inflammatory meds like Motrin(ibuprofen) can help, cool compresses can help. You can even use muscle rub near the site of the rash or blisters~NOT ON the rash!~and this will give some relief as well while the muscle rub is active and cooling/heating. Aloe gel on the site may soothe it. Some folks swear by bleach for the rash, just like in poison ivy or chicken pox but the underlying neural pain won't be relieved by that...it may work to dry up the blisters though.
If it were mine and it had a rash/blisters, I'd apply ACV and then raw honey, then cover with gauze. I'd also try the muscle rub, cool compresses and anti-inflammatory meds. But I'd also be downing some Vit. C....lots of it...to boost my immune system's action. The better it works the sooner it fights that virus back into submission....and then I'd continue to work on boosting my immune system to prevent further flair ups.
AFTER I posted, I scrolled down and saw your thread. I texted the info I found there to my friend. I'll see him tomorrow and see how he is doing.
