Treatment

The chief indications are to preserve the integrity of the vesicles until their contents are absorbed, and to give relief to the neuralgic pain. We may attempt to carry out the first by the application of several coats of flexible collodion, or traumaticin, or we may brush the lesions over with oil, and then cover them freely with some indifferent dusting powder. The neuralgia is to be treated exactly in the same way as if it were not accompanied with the vesicular lesions.

Zoster of the mucous membranes is not an infrequent affection. Three cases are reported in which the region supplied by the trigeminus was affected. In one of the cases the vesicles were located upon the mucous membrane of the left cheek; in the second case upon the conjunctiva of the right eye; and in the third case on the left half of the tongue.

The galvanic current, from four to eight cells of a battery of ordinary strength, has been found very beneficial if the pain is sharp, when applied from fifteen to twenty minutes daily.

The principal internal remedies and their indications are as follows:
Aconite. - In the earlier stages, when the neuralgic pain is accompanied by febrile symptoms.

Apis. - Burning and stinging pains with swelling; large vesicles, sometimes confluent; better from cold applications.

Arsen. alb. - Confluent eruption with intense burning of the blisters; worse after midnight, and from cold applications; neuralgia; in debilitated constitutions.

Cantharis. - Large blisters, burning when touched; smarting and stinging; mostly on the right side; worse in the open air.

Cistm. - Zoster on the back; neuralgic symptoms; in scrofulous subjects.

Comocladia. - Zoster on the legs; rheumatic pains aggravated by rest; relieved by motion.

Dulcamara. - Zoster after taking cold from damp air; moist, suppurating eruption; glandular swellings in neighbourhood of eruption; eruption precedes the menses.


Graphites. - Zoster on the left side; large blisters from the spine to the umbilicus, burning when touched; worse indoors; better in the open air; dry skin, tendency to ulcera-tion; in blonde individuals inclined to obesity.

Iris vers. - Zoster, especially on the right side; following gastric derangement; pain in the liver; neuralgic pains.

Kali mur. - Zoster; vesicles encircling half of the body like a belt; white tongue.

Kalmia lat. - Facial neuralgia remaining after zoster; worse at night; palpitation of the heat; rheumatic pains.

Lachesis. - Zoster during spring and fall; the vesicles turn dark and are very painful; all symptoms are worse after sleep.

Mercurius. - Zoster on the right side, extending across the abdomen; worse at night, from the warmth of the bed; tendency to suppuration; easy perspiration without relief.

Mezereum. - Zoster in old people; constant chilliness; neuralgic pains; worse at 9p.m.; burning, changing location after scratching; in scrofulous persons.

Natrum mur. - Eruptions occurring through the course of any disease.

Peppermint Oil, when applied locally, rapidly allays the pain of zoster.

Prunus spinosa has succeeded in removing the very troublesome neuralgic pain which often remains when the eruption of shingles has disappeared, by means of Primus spinosa 30x.

Ranunculus bulb. - Zoster aggravated by change of temperature; neuralgic sequels; in rheumatic subjects.


Rhus tox. - Burning and stinging pains aggravated by scratching. Small burning vesicles with redness of the skin; confluent vesicles; worse in cold weather; rheumatic pains during rest; sleeplessness with restless tossing about; zoster brought on by getting wet, while overheated.

Sempervivum tect. - In obstinate cases; may be used internally and locally.

Thuja. - Zoster with eruption only on covered parts; better from gentle rubbing; in individuals of lymphatic temperament.

Zincurn. - Neuralgia following zoster; pairs relieved by touching the parts; worse after dinner and towards evening.

Zincum phos. - When other remedies fail; following brain-fag in literary persons.