It is interesting that I sometimes see patients with similar conditions at the same time in the clinic. In the past few months, I saw some patients who had different degrees of shingles (herpes zoster). Not many people are aware that acupuncture treatment is very effective in treating shingles, especially the burning nerve pain that is associated with the disease.

Herpes zoster is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same one that causes chicken pox. After this virus is contracted in the form of chicken pox, usually during childhood, it remains in the body in a latent state. When disease, old age or stress weaken the immune system, the virus is reactivated and attacks the nerve root. At first, people notice pain, usually on the body trunk, lower back, legs, or the face. After two or three days, skin eruption occurs in the exact same area, and the area of eruption becomes very painful and sensitive, even to the touch of clothing. The rash will disappear in a week or so. The good news is that once you have had shingles, you most likely won’t have it again. The bad news is that the nerve pain may remain for months, and even years, after the rash is gone.

In Eastern medicine, infection is categorized as a Heat condition. You can clearly see why this is because infection causes redness of the skin and fever. With the rash involved, it is also a Damp condition in which excess fluid is accumulated in the form of rash. This Damp Heat causes obstruction along different channels and causes shingles. For example, the rash on the chest and face are located on the Spleen and Stomach channels. The rash on the lower back, hip, and the underside of the rib cage is indicative of the Liver and Gall Bladder channels’ involvement.

Acupuncturists usually prescribe an herbal decoction to clear Damp Heat when treating shingles. Many of the ingredients have antiviral properties. Depending on the distribution of the rash, we also treat the pain and underlying organ conditions with acupuncture.

As a virtual clinic, I would like to present a very successful case of shingles here. This person came down with the symptoms after a very stressful event (stress suppresses the immune system). Since I know this person very well, I was able to treat the disease very quickly. In case you are wondering if I needled into the area of extreme sensitivity, I did not. I worked on the channels that were located beneath the rash every day for four days. The severe pain was reduced to half after one treatment, and the pain was completely gone after one week. During the course of the treatment, this person was also given an herbal decoction and a high dose of vitamin C.

It is best to seek treatment in the acute stage to minimize the development of the pain. Also, if the rash is on the face near the eyes or the ears, it is important to see a physician immediately because it could cause blindness or hearing loss. Acupuncturists can always take care of the resulting facial nerve pain afterwards.