Shingles And Postherpetic Neuralgia

Adenosine monophosphate (AMP), a compound that occurs naturally in the body, has been found to be effective against shingles outbreaks. In one double-blind trial, people with an outbreak of shingles were given injections of either 100 mg of AMP or placebo three times a week for four weeks. Compared with the placebo, AMP promoted faster healing and reduced the duration of pain of the shingles.¹ In addition, AMP appeared to prevent the development of postherpetic neuralgia.^2,3

Licorice has been used by doctors as a topical agent for shingles and postherpetic neuralgia; however, no clinical trials support its use for this purpose. Glycyrrhizin, one of the active components of licorice, has been shown to block the replication of Varicella zoster.⁴ Licorice gel is usually applied three or more times per day. Licorice gel is not widely available but may be obtained through a doctor who practices herbal medicine.

Because shingles is caused by a herpes virus, some doctors believe that lysine supplementation could help people with the condition, since lysine inhibits replication of herpes simplex, a related virus. However, lysine has not been shown to inhibit Varicella zoster, nor has it been shown to provide any benefit for people with shingles outbreaks. Therefore, its use in this condition remains speculative.

Some doctors have observed that injections of vitamin B12 appear to relieve the symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia.^5,6 However, since these studies did not include a control group, the possibility of a placebo effect cannot be ruled out. Oral vitamin B12 supplements have not been tested, but they are not likely to be effective against postherpetic neuralgia.

Some doctors have found vitamin E to be effective for people with postherpetic neuralgia—even those who have had the problem for many years.^7,8 The recommended amount of vitamin E by mouth is 1,200–1,600 IU per day. In addition, vitamin E oil (30 IU per gram) can be applied to the skin. Several months of continuous vitamin E use may be needed in order to see an improvement. Not all studies have found a beneficial effect of vitamin E;⁸ however, in the study that produced negative results, vitamin E may not have been used for a long enough period of time.

Wood betony(Stachys betonica) is a traditional remedy for various types of nerve pain. It has not been studied specifically as a remedy for postherpetic neuralgia.