Clinical Observation On Acupuncture Treatment Of Herpes Zoster

Objective:In this study,we observed the improvement of pain and skin lesion of herpes zoster by acupuncture,and evaluated the relationship between the improvement of clinical symptoms and the frequency of acupuncture treatment,also the recovery of skin lesion.Methods:According to the diagnostic criteria of herpes zoster in Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine,the eligible patients were strictly screened.Acupoint selection:main points:Xinshu,Geshu,Shenshu+ Jiaji acupoints of corresponding never segments,local acupoints selection.Adjunct acupuncture points:liver and Gallbladder fire:Xingjian,Xiaxi;spleen and stomach damp-heat:Neiting,Yinlingquan;static blood blocking collaterals:Xuehai,Sanyinjiao.Operational methods:The volunteers lay down on the back and exposed the region of local skin lesions for routine disinfection.The practitioner used a disposable syringe needle to puncture the unilateral Xinshu and Geshu of the volunteers for pricking-cupping bloodletting.And the opposite Xinshu,Geshu,Shenshu and the corresponding Jiaji acupoints and local skin lesions were punctured with acupunture needles.Local skin lesions were punctured with horizontal insertion towards the spine,while the other acupoints punctured with oblique insertion towards the spine.All of the acupoints were punctured with even reinforcing-reducing method.After the arrival of qi,retained the needle and treated with red light on their back.Each time,choosing both Xinshu and Geshu on one side for pricking-cupping bloodletting.Retained cupping for 10 minutes,and released about 5-10ml of blood.Practicing the same treatment on the other side for the next time.Hold the needles for20 minutes.Treatments were 3 times per week and weekly for 4 weeks,and 12 treatments served as a full course of treatment.Results:1.Analysis of NRS pain scale results:NRS pain value gradually decreased as treatment time increases,comparing the NRS total score among different time points:the starting point(baseline),3 days into the treatment(day3),1 week into the treatment(week 1),2weeks into the treatment(week2),3 weeks into the treatment(week 3)and 4 weeks into the treatment(week 4).There were differences in NRS total score between baseline and day 3,day 3 and week I,week 1 and week 2,week 2 and week 3,week 3 and week 4(P<0.01),and the difference between day 3 and week 1 was larger(1.46).2.Analysis of skin lesion change results:comparing the time ranges between different time points:from the onset of rash to the time of bleb arrest(bleb-stopping time),from the onset of rash to the time of the scab formation(scab-forming time),from the onset of rash to the time of 50%scab formation(scab-forming time of 50%lesions),from the onset of rash to the time of scab removal(scab-removing time).The average bleb-stopping time was 3.73±1.86 days,scab-forming time was 6.27±2.55 days,scab-forming time of 50%lesions was 10.64± 2.24 days,and scab-removing time was 16.64±2.94 days.It takes about two weeks from the onset of the lesion to the scab removal.3.Analysis of age and pain results:mild to moderate pain is commonly observed among young people,while moderate to severe pain is the most frequent pain intensity among middle-aged and elderly people,but there is no correlation between age and pain intensity.Among young people,the major kind of pain is involvement pain;among middle-aged people,the majority lies in electric shock pain;among the elderly,the main type of pain is involvement pain.4.Analysis of inducement and pain results:Most of the patients caused by fatigue and emotion show moderate pain,while those caused by cold show mainly severe pain,while those without inducement are mostly with moderate pain.Within all patients,12 of them have obvious inducement and the other 10 do not.Analyzing the relationship between inducement and type of pain tells as follows:most of the patients with fatigue as inducement show involvement pain;those patients with emot:ion as inducement show mostly stinging pain and involvement pain;as for patients caused by cold,they mainly manifest as burning pain.Patients without obvious inducement mostly demonstrate electrical shock pain.5.Overall efficacy evaluation:the3-day treatment efficacy is 45.45%;the 1-week treatment efficacy is90.91%;the2-week treatment efficacy is 100.00%;the 3-week treatment efficacy is 100.00%;the4-week treatment efficacy is 100.00%.The total treatment efficacy is 100%.Conclusion:1.Combining acupuncture and blood-letting puncture and cupping releases the acute pain of herpes zoster quickly and effectively.NRS value decreases as the number of acupuncture treatments increases;and pain relief is most obvious after one week into the continuous treatment 2.There is no correlation between the age of patients and the degree of pain.There is no comparability between age and the type of pain.And there is no comparability between incentives and the degree of pain,nor between incentives and the type of pain.3.From the onset of skin lesions,there is no comparability between them,the average bleb-stopping time was3.73±1.86 days,scab-forming time was 6.27±2.55 days,scab-forming time of 50%skin lesions was10.64±2.24 days,and scab-removing time was 16.64±2.94 days.