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The Holistic Approach to Treating Shingles

Shingles is the version of chicken pox for adults and it is no fun at all. Shingles can be a very painful disease that occurs in two stages, first there are the prodromal stage and then the eruptive stage. In the first stage there is fever, chills, nauseas and a headache and then numbness will appear on either the left or the right side of the face or the body accompanied by tingling, burning or shooting pains on the same side. The pain is sometimes constant and can seem unrelenting while at other times it may wax and wane. Often there is itching on the affected side of the face or body.

Once the eruptive stage sets in the pain is then accompanied by redness and swelling and then there will appear clusters of blisters that are filled with a clear looking kind of fluid. New blisters can continue to show themselves fro up to a period of as many as five days.

Shingles (or herpes zoster) is a type of viral infection that is caused by the virus that causes chicken pox in children. It is estimated that approximately one out of every ten individuals who suffer from a bout of chicken pox, as a child will become afflicted by shingles as an adult. Shingles is most commonly seen in people who are 60 years of age and older.

To treat shingles the holistic way look to the practice of reflexology. The areas on the feet and hands that need to be worked include the pressure points for the spine, the diaphragm, the pancreas, the pituitary gland, the parathyroid, thyroid and adrenal glands and the ovaries/testicles.

Juice therapy is another holistic option for the treatment of shingles. In this case blend together celery and carrot juice with one tablespoon of parsley juice. You can also use spinach and beet as a substitute for carrot and celery.

Kinesiology is another holistic option fro shingles. In this case the immune system and endocrine system will be carefully checked for any nutritional deficiencies while the individual will also be checked for a vitamin A deficiency as well as any possible food sensitivities. Kinesiology will also provide support both in terms of the endocrine and adrenal glands as well as discuss how good nutrition can help to fight the negative effects of stress. If stress is a major problem of yours then counseling for stress relief will be provided and there will be regular balancing in regards to kinesiology.

Kinesiology also checks for dural torque and a person's daily dairy and grain consumption. There is a close check for lesions in the atlas and sacrum and the ileo-caecal valve is checked very closely. Finally in the practice of kinesiology there is a suggested but not required cleansing of the bowels.

Hydrotherapy is also recommended fro the treatment of shingles. For a period of three to four days place ice on the affected side of the face or body for a period of ten minutes on, and five minutes off and then after this period of days has elapsed, apply wet and cool compresses that have been soaked thoroughly in a substance called aluminum acetate which can be purchased in most pharmacies as effervescent tablets, powder packets or astringent solution.