Herpes zoster, commonly known as “shingles”, is a viral infection that causes tingling and burning rash and blisters on the skin. While shingles are almost never life-threatening, living with shingles can lead to many inconveniences in your daily life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, patients may start experiencing pain, itching or tingling in the area where the rash will develop from 1 to 5 days before the rash appears. After patients start the treatment, the rash and blisters will typically scab over in 7 to 10 days and usually clear up within 2 to 4 weeks. During the treatment, it is important for the patients to strictly follow their prescribed treatment regimens and a healthy diet, in order to speed up the recovery process and to minimize inconveniences caused by the illness.
What Is The Relationship Between Diet Choices and Shingles?
Having a healthy, balanced diet is not only necessary for maintaining good health, but it is also the best long-term solution against infection and for strengthening the immune system. According to a study conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine on the relationship between herpes zoster and fruit and dietary consumption, the consumption of seven micronutrients – vitamins A, B(6), C, E, folic acid, zinc and iron – plays a significant role in reducing the risk of developing zoster, and particularly so for patients aged 60 years old or above. The study’s results also pointed to a strong association between less fruit consumption and increasing zoster risk, as individuals who ate less than one piece of fruit per week were found to have more than three times the risk of zoster compared to individuals who ate more than three portions per day.
In addition, given that some antiviral medication targeted at shingles' pain relief, such as Acyclovir, could induce constipation as one of its side effects, consuming more high-fibre foods can ease symptoms of drug-induced constipation. Dietary fibres are classified into two types, soluble and insoluble. Along with drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, consuming a sufficient level of insoluble fibre, which is high in foods such as wheat bran and whole grains, can help soften up the stool, encourage bowel movements and thus relieve constipation.
Read More: [The Golden 72 Hours] Common Shingles Rash Treatment for Pain Relief
How Many Servings of Vegetables and Fruits Are Considered Enough?
Although fibre-rich foods are known to be good for our health, consuming too much fibre can also be a problem. An adult is recommended to take in at least 25 grams of fibre per day, meaning at least 2 servings of fruits and 3 servings of vegetables every day as part of a balanced diet in order to promote optimal health. In general, two fist-sized apples or a cup of blueberries are considered as 2 servings of fruits, while one and a half bowl of cooked vegetables are counted as 3 servings of vegetables. Okra, edamame, pear, and apple are also rich in fibres.
Do Sweets, Chocolates or Fried Foods Make Shingles Worse?
There are a number of alternative therapies popular on the internet, claiming to offer an effective treatment to shingles, such as taking certain supplements instead of medication. They also claimed that we should avoid specific types of foods such as sweets and chocolate as they might cause certain viruses to grow within our body. In fact, these so-called beneficial treatments are often unsubstantiated scientific claims. While we have to take these claims with a grain of salt, there are indeed certain kinds of foods, such as spicy and fried food, that patients should avoid in order to reduce the risks of triggering allergic reactions during the recovery stages. Elderly patients are advised to consume more of the easy-to-digest food such as fish, lean meat, soy-rich food and fresh vegetables , which can boost nutrient absorption to facilitate a full recovery.
What Shingles Pain Relief Are Available Apart From Medication?
Patients should maintain good personal hygiene and avoid picking at or scratching affected areas to prevent developing skin infections or spreading contagion through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters. Once, a patient failed to resist scratching the rash blisters when they were turning into scabs. As a result, the skin was torn and since bacteria tend to hide under fingernails, the affected areas were infected, which not only prolonged recovery but also left scars on the patient’s skin. Patients should follow the doctor’s treatment instructions, take medication on time and keep their skin clean and dry. To relief the pain, they are also advised to wear soft and loose clothing and avoid washing the affected areas with hot water.
In some western countries, colloidal oatmeal bath has been gaining traction as an effective remedy to ease skin irritation or itching caused by shingles and eczema. To make an oatmeal bath, you can first ground the oatmeal into a fine powder and pour it directly to the lukewarm bathwater. Accepted by the American Academy of Dermatology, colloidal oatmeal baths are believed to protect the skin and soothe the itching and irritation. However, there are no unified standards for the level of intensity, amount and type of oats in the bath to have optimised results on the easing of itching symptoms. Results also vary among patients. Given a wide range of instant oatmeal products out in the market, it is important to consult a doctor for the ingredient information before use, in case that the product contains active allergens. If there are open wounds on the skin, patients should avoid taking an oatmeal bath until they have fully healed.
Can We Fully Recover From Shingles? What Are The Chances Of Shingles Recurrence?
Although varicella-zoster virus remains inactive in our body after recovery, the risk of suffering from shingles a second time will be significantly reduced if you stay positive, get adequate sleep and exercise regularly to strengthen the immune system. A study has shown that almost 1 out of every 3 people will develop shingles in their lifetime. However, a majority of people who develop shingles have only one episode during their lifetime. People with a strengthened immune system are least likely to suffer from a recurrence of shingles.
Tips During Shingles’ Recovery
Dr. Jason Fong Ka Yeung, Specialist in Neurology
& Miss Macy Chow Ching Man, Registered Dietitian
