May help soothe symptoms associated with nerve and skin eruption discomfort.
Shingles / Herpes Zoster Research and Information Shingles is an acute, painful inflammation of the nerve cell bodies with skin eruptions. It is caused by the same virus as chicken pox (herpes zoster). The initial infection with varicella zoster virus causes the acute, short-lived illness we call chickenpox, but once an episode of chickenpox is resolved, the virus is not eliminated from the body, but lies dormant in sensory (skin) nerves. If the immune system is compromised (from things including emotional stress, illness or long-term use of corticosteroids), the dormant viruses may start to infect the pathway of the skin nerves, which is called shingles, and often happens many years after the initial infection. The earliest symptoms of shingles often include headache, fever, malaise and at times, intestinal upset, and are followed by sensations of burning pain, itching, oversensitivity and a “pins and needles” tingling, pricking or numbness. The pain can be mild to extreme. This initial phase (generally 1-2 days, but sometimes as long as 3 weeks) is followed by a painful skin rash of blisters that erupt along the nerve pathway, which is commonly on the torso, but can appear on the face, eyes and other parts of the body. Occurrences of shingles around the eyes or on the forehead can cause blindness. The rash typically appears in a stripe or belt-like pattern that is characteristically limited to one side of the body and does not cross the midline. Equal amounts of RAVINTSARA essential oil and TAMANU oil (Calophyllum) applied to a shingles outbreak have produced dramatic improvement and complete remission within 7 days (Alternative Medicine, The Definitive Guide, p. 56, 971). We call this blend SHHH-INGLES B GONE and added GERANIUM essential oil to this protocol because of its positive affects for nerves and skin regeneration.
Essential Oil Therapy for Shingles by The School for Aromatic Studies A health care provider wrote: BHT and lots of Vitamin C will get rid of shingles in a week. More information about BHT usage
Due to the potential skin irritating properties in Shhh-Ingles Shield, the preferred mode of use may be through oral ingestion, ideally 1-2 drops several times daily taken by capsule diluted with a suitable carrier oil. (Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt) Maximum adult oral limit is 35 drops daily (Tisserand/Young), which would be much more than wise to take daily. Typically, one will take a diluted drop or two several times daily.
Internal: Shhh-Ingles Shield is suitable for internal use within safe parameters if such use is deemed appropriate. Due to the potential skin irritating properties in Shhh-Ingles Shield, Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt feels the preferred mode of use is internally, ideally taken by capsule diluted with a suitable carrier oil. We feel that internal use is rarely *needed* and should only be used with respect for how concentrated the oils are. HEO does not advocate internal use of essential oils without appropriate knowledge and understanding of how to administer, for what purpose, how much, which essential oils, safety concerns and so on. In our experience, essential oils are generally more effective used topically with proper dilution or inhaled. Kurt Schnaubelt Ph.D. notes that "French aromatherapy literature contains many references to using oils orally." He goes on to note that "generally 1 drop is always enough when ingesting essential oils." A potential toxicity hazard could occur when untrained people use essential oils orally and ingest too much. Keep in mind that while medical doctors or health care practitioners may prescribe essential oils for internal use, they are trained and experienced in the safe application of essential oils. It is not a matter of using "French" or "British" methods, it's a matter of experience and appropriate application. Maximum adult oral limit is 35 drops daily, which would be much more than wise to take daily. Typically, one will take a diluted drop or two several times daily. Click here for information about internal usage.
Inhalation: Diffuse or use a personal Nasal Inhaler Topical: Dilute with a carrier oil, unscented lotion or unscented cream and apply on area of concern or as desired. Consider using a roll-on applicator for ease of application of prediluted oil. Since the oils are said to be metabolized and eliminated within an hour or two, frequent application may be beneficial when fighting a battle. Skin Irritation/Sensitization Warning: Due to the potential skin irritating/sensitizing properties of Cinnamon Bark, the maximum topical use level is 0.39%, which is about one drop in a 10mL roll-on applicator.
11. I had a low white blood cell count for over a year and I had shingles twice. I used Thyme oil diluted on my feet, and my WBC is now in the normal range. Also, did not use an antiviral for shingles. The second time I had shingles I happened to be on vacation, but thankfully I took the Shhh-Ingles Shield oil with me. I was able to stop the shingles in their tracks. I wish I had that oil with my first bout. - Sally
12. I had my first shingles outbreak recently. Initially, I didn't know that what I had was shingles. I tried a couple of essential oil mixtures which helped with the pain and seemed to stop the spread, but I didn't feel it was actually helping with the initial outbreak. I ordered your Shhh-Ingles B Gone and Shhh-Ingles Shield, which finally began the healing process. Within hours, I could feel the lesions drying up. I also used compresses soaked in apple cider vinegar. Your website is amazing. So much valuable information! I told my friends about your wonderful products. Thanks so much for your dedication to essential oils. - Kate
13. I used the Shhh-Ingles Shield and they were gone within 2 weeks. It took some time for research and to get the EO from HEO, but once I started using it they really never opened up. I just had a few bumps and whelps with the pain and itching which remained after they went down, then about 3 months later the aches and itching started up again and I new they were trying to come back, but they never popped out that time cause I started the treatment ASAP. All I had was just some mild pain and itching the second time. The blend was a lifesaver for me. Good to have on hand thats for sure. - Cathy
Cinnamon Bark Caution for Children: Not for children orally six years old or under, and use with caution and in greater dilution for children older than six (Tisserand/Young p. 652-3). "Do not expose children of five years or less to strong essential oil vapors" (page 651). Cinnamon Bark Caution for Topical Use: May be sensitizing due to aldehydes. Moderate risk (Tisserand/Young p. 249). High risk of skin sensitization and irritation. Cinnamon Bark Caution for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Cinnamon Bark contraindicated for pregnancy and breastfeeding because when it was fed to pregnant mice for two weeks it significantly reduced the number of nuclei and altered the distribution of embryos according to nucleus number (Tisserand/Young p. 249). Cinnamon Bark Caution for Oral Use Caution: Hemophilia or severe kidney or liver disease. Tisserand/Young (p. 248) wrote that the maximum adult daily oral dose should not exceed 200mg [0.22mL - about 6 drops]. Cinnamon Bark Caution for Drug interaction: May inhibit blood clotting. Oral use cautions: diabetes medication, anticoagulant medication, major surgery, peptic ulcer, hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. From Essential Oil Safety by Tisserand/Young, page 249: "Cinnamon oil (type not known) caused poisoning after the ingestion of approximately 60mL by a 7-year-old boy who drank the oil when dared to by a friend. Symptoms included a burning sensation in the mouth, chest and stomach, dizziness, double vision and nausea. There was also vomiting and later collapse. The doctors involved considered that had vomiting not occurred the dose could have been fatal, but there were no serious consequences."
Avoid contact with the eyes and other sensitive areas. Essential oils are both lipophilic and hydrophobic. Lipophilic means they are attracted to fat—like the membranes of your eyes and skin. They are also hydrophobic, meaning they do not like water. Flushing with water will only send the essential oil back to the eye's membranes. Applying a carrier oil will create another fat for the essential oil to be attracted to other than the membranes of the eyes or skin. We’ve not known this to cause permanent injury or long-term discomfort, but if you feel concerned, please call your health care provider.
