shin splints will be in the front (shin) of the leg, and it will feel like your leg is going to break in half (speaking from experience).
Have someone more experienced check out your gait on the treadmill. If you are landing awkwardly on your feet it could be putting extra stress on your legs. Also agree with the advice to check your shoes.

It does not sound like shin splints to me (more like muscle cramps from going too fast/to long when you are not in good shape). Try walking on the treadmill and building up distance and then adding some speed once you have a good base.

You went from 0 running to 5 times a week? Even at low mileage that may have been to pick of a jump. Start with fewer days and build up slowly.

Higher incline, lower speed.

Agree with all the others about the shoes. Also try putting the incline on your treadmill up to at least 0.5 or 1%.

And the muscles to stretch is not your shin, but your calf and hamstring - the back of your leg. That said...I got shin splits regularly until I changed my shoes. Was using standard running shoes, changed to barefoot and running in the woods, and the shin splits never came back.

Shoes. Also make sure you stretch afterwards.

Flip flops don't help you build muscle. They help you have toe deformities. Katy Bowman has a bunch of information on her website.

SHOES, SHOES, SHOES. Go to a running store where you can return your shoes if they give you shin splints. Every time I've had them, it was the shoes. It stopped immediately after new shoes.

1. Take advil and ice, and allow to heal
2. Get new sneakers
3. Wear flip flops around the house to strengthen muscles

recently started running treadmill 5 days a week or so. max of a mile (NEVER was a runner before) and now i have the worst shin splits and lower leg pain in my right leg. sometimes can barely walk, but often feels better after i get moving around a bit. how to cure and prevent for future?

thaNKS!