Severe Shingles Followed by Postherpetic Neuralgia

The case concerns Alice, an 86-year-old woman. Her constitutional homeopathy type has been previously determined as Rhus Toxicodendron.

The situation originated in March of 19th, 2023. Alice was notified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that she owed $4,000, to be paid immediately by April 15th, 2023. Given her fixed income from Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the notice greatly alarmed her.

She expressed, “I thought I was going to have a heart attack when I read the tax bill.”  Due to the intense worry, Alice started experiencing insomnia. It was during this period when the breakout of shingles occurred, particularly located on the left side of her body.

The symptoms presented as severe dark red blisters. These were painful and debilitating to the extent that Alice was unable to move her neck. The severity of the breakout resembled a physical assault with a bat.

Treatment and Progress: The acute pain was treated with Hypericum 200 and a Rhus Toxicodendron 10M solution prepared in water (succussed each time). The shingles condition was addressed using a ‘wet dose’ of Herpes Zoster nosode 30c, a homeopathic remedy derived from disease tissue, to clear the infection.

Follow-Up: March 21, 2023: Alice reported a 2% improvement, noting that she slept well and experienced no pain at all. March 23, 2023: She reported a 3% improvement. March 25, 2023: Alice noted that her blisters were starting to crust over.

March 27, 2023: The healing continued, with no new blisters forming. The previous blisters continued to crust over and Alice reported itchiness. This case showcases the effects of mental stress on physical health, specifically in the outbreak of severe shingles in a senior individual. Further study could explore the extent to which stress triggers or exacerbates dermatological conditions.

Follow up –  New Symptom – Alice reported night time worsening on the 27th day since the previous consultation. She had lost the ability to sleep. The pain is underneath her skin. This development is associated with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a complication of shingles characterized by persistent nerve pain.

Follow-Up: April 9, 2023: The external skin healing progressed well. However, Alice experienced escalating PHN in the same location as the initial shingles outbreak. She tried several remedies that had worked before, but they seemed to be lacking effectiveness against PHN.  Alice found some relief by staying busy, self massages, and exposing the affected area to warm sunlight.

Suppression and Intervention

Upon further examination, it was revealed that Alice had applied topical creams on the shingles before consultation. These included Bach Flower Rescue Remedy Cream and Traumeel ointment. This self-treatment may have suppressed the symptoms rather than curing them.

To address this issue, Alice was advised to discontinue all topicals. On May 1, 2023, a Sulphur 6X wet dose was prescribed. May 8, 2023: Sulph 12c treatment was administered using the succussion method. As a result, the suppressed symptoms were expressed externally as a slight rash on the skin surface. This was not as severe as the original shingles outbreak.

Recovery: May 15,2023: Alice was reassured that this minor skin reaction was expected and not a cause for worry. By this date, all symptoms had cleared. There was no pain, no neuralgia, and no shingles — signifying a 100% recovery. In parallel, Alice’s tax situation was resolved favorably; it was confirmed that she did not owe any money! This resolution likely contributed to her recovery, exemplifying the principle that the state of the mind significantly influences bodily health.