A topical medication including a therapeutically effective amount of an AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) agonist for use in the treatment of one or more the human or animal medical conditions. The medical conditions include, but are not limited to: shingles (herpes zoster), post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), gout, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), diabetic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, insect-related wheals, urushiol-related rash, psoriasis, herpes simplex, atopic dermatitis (eczema), contact dermatitis, allergic dermatitis, neurotrophic ulcers, first- and second-degree burns (e.g., sunburn and chemical), fibromyalgia, rubeola, and acne. Also disclosed are a method of employing the composition and a wound dressing incorporating a therapeutically effective amount of an AMPK agonist in combination with an antimicrobial agent.