The Oriental Medicine Treatment of Herpes Zoster

Infectious

A Case of Herpes Zoster

Nancy, 52 year-old female, paid her first visit on October 10, 2000, complained of rashes with burning pain on the area right below the left breast for 3 days.

She noticed millet-sized red rashes three days ago, which developed into small blisters and are clustered two days later. The affected area is very painful. Other symptoms include mild headache, anxiety, bitter taste in the mouth, mild constipation. She had not taken any medication for this problem.

Her tongue is red with a yellowish coating, pulse is rapid. On examination, a area of 10×10 cm below the left breast became red with clustered blisters.

She was diagnosed Snake-Creeping Red Papules (She Dan) in TCM, which was caused by hyperactivity of the liver and gallbladder. From Western medicine, her diagnosis is herpes zoster.

She was treated with both acupuncture and herbs.

For acupuncture treatment

Thoracic Jiaji 4-7, punctured perpendicularly with 1.0 cun needles and stimulated with electric stimulator
LV2 (Xingjian), punctured perpendicularly with a 1.0 cun needle to a depth of 0.8 cun
GB43 (Xiaxi), punctured perpendicularly with a 1.0 cun needle to a depth of 0.5 cun
GB34 (Yanglingquan), punctured perpendicularly with a 1.0 cun needle to a depth of 1.2 cun
Erjian (Extra), pricked with a three-edged needle

Acupuncture treatment was given twice a week.

Herbal Prescription: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang with modifications

Long Dan Cao 12g
Huangqin 12 g
Chai Hu 12g
Zhizi 12g
Che Qian Cao 9 g
Ze Xie 12 g
Shen Di Huan 9 g

Herbs were decocted and taken twice a day ( one dose for two days)

After one week treatment, two session of acupuncture and three doses of herb, her rashes had been relieved greatly. Only mild pain and itching were felt. After another week treatment, her rashes were gone completely.

Courtesy of:
Yufang Xue, TCMD, Ph.D.
AAAOM Faculty/Student Clinic
1313 Fifth Street SE Suite 115
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Tel: (612) 379-3865
Fax: (612) 379-3590
E-mail: TCMHEALTH@aol.com
Website: WWW.AAAOM.ORG

Last modified: September 6, 2009  Tags: ,  В·  Posted in: Dermatological, Infectious