Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a painful skin condition caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. Shingles affects about 20 percent of the general population, according to the website HealingWithNutrition.com, and occurs decades after the initial infection with the chicken pox virus, usually after a period of severe stress or when your immune system has been weakened. Vitamin C has been shown to be an effective natural therapy for prevention and treatment of shingles in some people. Consult your doctor about using vitamin C to treat a medical condition.
Superior Benefits
Researchers at the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Korea reported on a case in which a patient with shingles that did not respond to conventional medication experienced immediate pain relief with vitamin C. Doctors used an intravenous infusion of the vitamin. Pain during a flare-up of shingles increases your risk of developing a condition known as post-herpetic neuralgia, making pain-relief not only more comfortable for the patient but a preventive measure to decrease risk of further complications of this condition.
Rapid Relief
Immediate pain-relief was reported for two patients with shingles who received 15 g of vitamin C by intravenous infusion every other day for two weeks, in a German study published in the May 2010 issue of the journal "Medical Science Monitor." Skin lesions disappeared within 10 days, in this study. Researchers suggest that vitamin C be included as an option in the treatment of shingles.
Immune Strengthening
Vitamin C strengthens your immune system and scavenges free radicals, functions that decrease your likelihood of experiencing a shingles outbreak, according to John W. Hill, author of the book "Natural Treatments for Genital Herpes, Cold Sores and Shingles." Vitamin C has been used as a topical treatment for shingles with good resolution of symptoms and faster healing of affected areas. To apply vitamin C to a shingles-affected area, soak a cotton ball in a solution of vitamin C and place on the area for two minutes. Repeat three times throughout the day for one day only.
Oral Supplementation
Though shingles blisters normally take 10 to 14 days to clear up, oral vitamin C at doses of 600 mg to 1,000 mg has been used to treat chronic recurring shingles and resolve symptoms within four days. Regular use of vitamin C can also reduce the number of recurrences that you experience. When an attack of shingles occurs, John D. Kirschmann, author of the book "Nutrition Almanac" advises taking 1,000 mg four times per day to speed healing.
References
- "Korean Journal of Pain"; Administration of Vitamin C in a Patient with Herpes Zoster - a Case Report -; S. Byun, et al.; June 2011
- "Medical Science Monitor"; Intravenous Administration of Vitamin C in the Treatment of Herpetic Neuralgia: Two Case Reports; M. Schencking, etal.; May 2010
- "Natural Treatments for Genital Herpes, Cold Sores and Shingles"; John W. Hill; 2008
- "Nutrition Almanac"; John D. Kirschmann; 2008
- HealingWithNutrition.com: Shingles Facts, Disease Prevention and Treatment Strategies
