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Remedies for Post herpetic neuralgia PHN Pain after shingles
Shingles caused by herpes virus is a painful experience to
go through. It causes blisters on skin surface, burning sensation, unbearable
pain on skin and sensory nerves. In many cases motor nerves can be affected like
in face, causing drooping on one side and can affect the eye. Anyone who suffered
from chickenpox at young age can get shingles at some point in their life
stage.
Reasons for shingles appearance: The smallpox virus lies
dormant in nerve root. Immune system keeps the virus in check. If the immune
system is down and weak virus becomes active and causes herpes. Other reasons
prior physical trauma to the affected area. Mental stress along with already
weakened immune system can result in shingles attack.
Post herpetic neuralgia (PHN):
About 30 per cent of patients who suffer from shingles find
themselves left with degree of nerve pain, itching and burning sensation after
the rash disappears and skin shows normalcy. These symptoms are known as post
herpetic neuralgia or PHN. Slight touch of even soft cloth in affected area or
air can be intolerable for the person. It
will take few weeks to several months to recover from the pain. To reduce
neuropathic pain doctors can prescribe painkillers, antidepressants and
anticonvulsants. Some anesthetic drugs help to release the pain.
Some of the remedies one can try at home for PHN (Post
herpetic neuralgia) symptoms are:
Essential oils: Application of anti-inflammatory essential oils such as chamomile oil, Eucalyptus oil, Tea tree oil promotes healing process.
Cold compresses: Holding cold wet cloth, compresses against the affected area reduces itchiness and inflammation. Keeping cold cloth or exposing body to cool air reduces the burning sensation.
Avoid hot water bath or ice water usage. Hot water increases blood flow and slows down the healing process. Ice water increases skin sensitivity and increases itching. Cool bath reduces sore and itchiness.
Witch hazel cream or witch hazel water: Both are effective and help to reduce inflammation.
Oatmeal bath: Flavonoids and saponins present in oatmeal reduces pain and itchiness. Use oatmeal in cool bath to reduce inflammation.
Boroline: Boroline is an antiseptic Ayurvedic cream. It contains boric powder and essential oils along with some zinc oxide. Applying boroline helps to reduce itchiness, numbness and pain.
Baking soda or corn starch : Applying baking soda or corn starch paste prepared in water (2:1) using a cotton ball or Q-tip relieves the itching.
Get plenty of rest and practice meditation. Being mindfulness helps to recover faster than you think.
Wear loose clothes to provide aeration for affected part.
Diet: Watch your diet – Less salt or no salt, no oily food is helpful for faster recovery. Include right foods to boost immune system. Eat antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables. Consume Vitamin C rich fruits. Avoid added sugar and fast foods. Avoid alcohol.
Vitamin B12 is highly recommended for people who have weaker immune system and it helps the nerves to heal.
Disclaimer: Above mentioned remedies are only for PHN symptoms and will help one to feel better and to get good sleep. These remedies do not remove viruses. If you feel uneasy while using any of the remedies immediately stop using it and contact your doctor.
Herpes image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shingles_rash,_thigh._Caused_by_the_herpes_zoster_virus.jpg, Attribute: Rosser1954 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
Chickpea usali is a very tasty dish from South India. It is considered as auspicious for festivals and for fasting. Add this to your Navaratri food list. Chickpea is a legume and is a good replacement for meat as it contains good amount of protein and have long been valued for their fiber content. Chickpeas are still included in the diets of some of the healthiest populations living around the world today, including those eating traditional cuisines.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried white chickpeas
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal/spilt skinned black gram
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
2 dry red chilies
10-12 curry leaves/kadi patta
2 to 3 tbsp fresh grated coconut
salt as required
Preparation:
Rinse and soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water.
Next day pressure cook the soaked chickpeas with 1 tsp salt and 3 to 4 cups water till they are cooked till soft. Drain and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and urad daal. The mustard seeds will crackle and the urad dal will turn slightly brown giving good aroma.
Add the curry leaves, red chilies and asafoetida, fry for few seconds.
Add cooked chickpeas and salt. Stir and sauté for 4-5 minutes on a low to medium flame.
Remove chickpea from the stove and garnish with grated coconut.
Here is a dish – mango and almond smoothie, that contains combination of two nutrient foods -almond and mango. Almonds rich in protein, improves hemoglobin and promote blood circulation. They also reduce cholesterol and help in prevention of lung and breast cancer. Mango has several rich nutrients including antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6 etc. It is rich in fiber and is a immune booster.
Ingredients:
3 ripe alphonso mangoes
15-18 almonds/badam
2-3 cardamom or ¼ tsp cardamom powder
sugar as required
some ice cubes
a few mint leaves for garnishing – optional
Preparation:
Peel and chop the mangoes.
Crush the cardamom.
Add the chopped mangoes, almonds, crushed cardamom, sugar and ice cubes in a blender.
Blend till smooth.
Pour the smoothie glasses or mugs.
Top with some chopped mangoes and fresh mint leaves.
Papaya is a very healthy fruit. These fruits are good for diabetic condition. Papaya contains high amounts of Vitamin C Vitamin A and Vitamin E. Papayas are a good source of fiber and folic acid. Papaya halwa is another delicious and healthy dessert one can try for navratri.
Ingredients
1 medium semi ripe papaya or 3.5 to 4 cups of grated papaya
2 to 3 tbsp oil or ghee
4-5 tbsp sugar
½ tsp cardamom powder
2 tbsp almond powder or milk powder or coconut powder or evaporated milk
12-15 halved cashews or as required
Preparation:
Rinse the papaya and cut and remove the seeds. Remove the skin and chop pulp into small pieces.
Heat oil or ghee in a pan and add the papaya pieces. Stir and cook on a low flame for about 14-15 minutes. While cooling the fruit will release it juice, change color and loose its opacity.
Add sugar and stir and, continue to cook for further 18-20 minutes on a low flame.
Add ground almonds and stir. Cook for 5-6 minutes more till the whole halwa has gotten together and become one whole.
Add cashews and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Serve papaya halwa hot or warm.
Spinach is a healthy green leaf vegetable. It is low in fat and even lower in cholesterol. It is high in niacin and zinc, as well as protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E and K, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese. Abundant flavonoids in spinach act as antioxidants to keep cholesterol from oxidizing and protect your body from free radicals, particularly in the colon. Try spinach pakoda this navaratri.
Ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup chopped spinach leaves
1 green chili or ¼ tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp peanuts
rock salt
water as required
Preparation:
Roast the peanuts in a small pan till they become crisp. when they cool, coarsely crush them in a mortar-pestle.
Wash the spinach leaves and dry them on a paper towel.
In a bowl, mix everything including the coarsely powdered peanuts. Add very little water and make a thick batter.
Heat oil for shallow or deep frying in pan. Drop spoonfuls of the batter in the hot oil and fry till crisp and golden on both sides.
Serve the vrat palak pakora with coriander chutney or coconut chutney.
One sweet that people offer to Goddess is payasam or kheer. Rice kheer is a prefered naivedyam for Goddess. If not rice kheer one can prepare other types of kheer too. Banana kheer recipe is here- which is simple and easy to prepare. Banana is rich in potassium and contains dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium etc. This recipe calls for jaggery which makes it more delicious.
Ingredients:
Ripe Plantains- 2
Milk 2-3 cups (OR Coconut milk)
Jaggery ½ cup
Cashew and Raisins ¼ cup
Ghee 4-5 tsp
Cardamom powder ¼ tsp
Preparation:
Remove the outer skin and cut the banana and pressure cook. Remove the inner line with black seeds. Mash it.
Arbi is the common leafy and root vegetable plant available throughout the year in many parts of tropical countries. It is very popular in India and Malaysia. Roots, stems and leaves of this plant are highly nutritious and fibrous. Plant is rich in good fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc and vitamin K. Roots of these plants are known as taro roots that are rich in carbohydrates. Arbi roots can be used like potato to prepare cutlets. This is filling and keeps stomach filled for longtime.
Ingredients:
10-12- arbi or colocasia roots
1 tsp- red chilli powder
1 tsp -roasted cumin powder
½ tsp- dry mango powder (optional)
1 or 2 -tsp chaat masala
½ or 1 tsp- lemon juice
rock salt
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
Preparation:
Wash and rinse the arbi well to get rid of the soil and mud.
Boil the arbi in a pressure cooker with some salt & water till they are completely cooked.
When warm or cool, peel the arbi.
Now take each piece and flatten it in between your palms. Heat a tava or frying pan. Drizzle some oil on the pan.
Pan-fry the arbi till golden brown and crisp on both sides.
In a small bowl, take all the dry spice powders and mix them.
Now toss the pan fried crisp arbi in the dry spice powders mixture.
Add some lemon juice from top.
Garnish arbi cutlet with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve arbi cutlet hot or warm with coriander chutney or sweet chutney
Lemon rice is one of the famous dish from South India. It is easy to prepare and very delicious. Use medium grain size rice to prepare lemon rice instead of Basmati type aromatic of rice. Medium grain size will give good taste and lemon flavor which will not be masked by any other aroma.
Wash and cook the rice in pressure cooker. Keep aside.After 15 minutes spread the rice on a plate.
Make thin slices of onion. Slit the green chillies, keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, chana dal, urad dal one by one. Saute them. When they become light brown add groundnut and again saute for few minutes.
Add green chillies and curry leaves. Fry them.
Add sliced onion and little salt, fry them till transparent. Add turmeric powder, mix well. Switch off the stove.
Now add cooked rice, salt and lemon juice. Mix well.
