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Damaged nerve endings due to shingles
Three years ago I had shingles, which damaged the nerve endings on the right side of my body. I tried prescription painkillers but was left feeling like a zombie. Now, I’m in intense pain all day with no respite unless I am asleep. Do you think any of the alternative therapies such as acupuncture or kinesiology might help?
Shingles is caused by the same organism - the varicella zoster virus (VZV) - that causes chickenpox in children. Some 10% of all adults over the age of 50 will experience this painful condition, which is believed to be the result of a re-triggering of the virus which has lain dormant since childhood. What nobody knows is how or why it should be re-triggered so much later in life.
In one very small scale trial, shingles patients who took between 400 and 600 IU (International Units) of vitamin E reported a significant improvement in the pain they were experiencing for the duration of the outbreak but it is not uncommon to continue to be in pain, long after the external symptoms have cleared.
The most promising natural agent for the relief of post-shingles pain or postherpetic neuralgia, which is what you are suffering, is one of the Asian mushrooms, called Reishi (Granoderma lucidum). This plant provides anti-inflammatory polysaccharides and has antiviral properties in its own right. There are several human clinical trials which now suggest this remedy would be well worth investigating further for the management of this type of chronic and debilitating pain.
The world leader in Asian mushroom supplements is an American company called JHS. Mail order their Reishi supplement form from the NutriCentre (0800-587 2290) where 60 x 400mg capsules cost £49.95 and take as directed on the bottle.
*To learn more about Reishi and its health properties, read Medicinal Mushrooms by Christopher Hobbs, which is published by Botanic Press and available from www.amazon.co.uk.