A Case of HERPES ZOSTER

Nancy, A 52 year-old female, paid her first visit on October 10, 2000, and complained of rashes with burning pain on the area right below the left breast for past three 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 and mild constipation. She had not taken any medication for this problem. Her tongue is red with a yellowish coating and the pulse is rapid. On examination, an area 10x10 cm below the left breast was red with clustered blisters.

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

She was treated with both acupuncture and herbs.

For acupuncture treatment:

Thoracic Jia Ji 4-7, punctured perpendicularly with 1.0 cun needles and stimulated with electric stimulator.

LV2 (Xing Jian), punctured perpendicularly with a 1.0 cun needle to a depth of 0.8 cun.

GB43 (Xia Xi), punctured perpendicularly with a 1.0 cun needle to a depth of 0.5 cun.

GB34 (Yang Ling Quan), punctured perpendicularly with a 1.0 cun needle to a depth of 1.2 cun.

Er Jian (Extra), pricked with a three-edged needle.

Acupuncture treatment was given twice a week.

Herbal Prescription:

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

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