Hi welcome to Health care magic forum. First of all i would like to know whether she has used anti viral drugs in the acute stage. If not used you can try it now . of course we can't promice the relief there is no harm in trying it as it works well in acute stage.
Diclofenic is an anti inflamatory analgic drug. Means it will work well to reduce the pain as well. The patches you can happily use with some relief.
Besides i advise you some diet recommendations as avoid taking potato, other tubers, tomato, cauliflower, beans group, coconut, and ground nut. also avoid egg, chicken, and sea foods with very good relief.
Wishing her a quick relief and thanks for calling.

Hi Tunkel,

The condition in neurological psain is different and the mechanism of pain in neurological pain is also different. that is why you find some drug from different group which is prescibed for these type of conditions.

As far as the diclofenic is concern it is typical NSAID and main mechanism of relieving pain is decrease the inflammation, so if this pain is because of some infalmmatory changes than it can help, but un cases of shingles the pain is neurological and need different group of drugs for pain relieve and another thing is that you are using id topically where there is no cause of pain and to produce any effect it need to go to the site of pain.

I would suggest you to go to your doctor and have some medication which is effective for neurological pain.
Thanks and hope this will help.