Expert: Dr. Kristina Conner - 12/7/2009

Question
Hi,
My mother was recently diagnosed with shingles, and is in extreme pain. She was given a painkiller but it does not seem to be having much effect, and she is averse to traditional drug treatments. She first began experiencing extreme pain in her back, after which she developed a red rash on the back that eventually spread to the side and front of her abdomen. The blisters were small and filled with clear fluid, but are now large and brown. She had some burning that subsided, but has been in severe pain for days, and cannot seem to find anything that alleviates it. She describes the pain as aching, worse when the blisters are touched, and better with food, cold and motion. She is normally a very irritable person with a low overall body temperature, and is chilled very easily, even in warm rooms. She is also menapausal and gets hot flashes at the slightest provocation or with any extra heat. Can you suggest any homeopathic remedies that would help to get rid of the infection or help with the pain?

Erin C.  

Answer
Hello Erin,
Thanks for your question.  It would  take some additional questions to get the right fit for a remedy, & I'd suggest that first if she can see a homeopath in person.  If not, you may be able to do some investigating & find one that fits.  Common remedies for shingles are Apis, Arsenicum, Lachesis, Mercurius, & Rhus tox.  There are online remedy finders such as abchomeopathy.com that may be helpful in researching each of these remedies, or finding another that fits even better.  Alternatively, you may be able to find a combination remedy that would contain several of these remedies & use that.  None of these will directly fight the infection, but any that fit help speed recovery & decrease symptoms.  Regardless of what you find, remember that homeopathics can be given multiple times a day for relief, and do not interact with drugs or herbs, so they are very safe to take even if needed for an extended period.  Good luck,
Dr Conner