Guohua Lin, Yunkuan Yang, Hongxing Zhang, Lixia Li^*, Chuyun Chen, Yue Liu, Xushan Cha, Qian Li

Show more
The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Wuhan NO.1 Hospital, Wuhan, China.
Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
The Second Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
Show less

Abstract: Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of different acupuncture-moxibustion therapies for neurodynia and skin lesions of acute herpes zoster. Patients and Methods: From April 2007 to October 2009, 500 patients with clinical acute herpes zoster were included in the study. They were randomly divided into five groups as follow: electroacupuncture (E); electroacupuncture + cottonpave moxibustion (EC); electroacupuncture + fire acupuncture (EF); electroacupuncture + tapping combined with cupping (ET); control group of western medicine (WM). Results: The time of staunch bleb, scab and scab-off had no obvious statistical difference in the five groups; however, five methods could obviously reduce symptoms of herpes zoster and improved general symptoms. Within five days of treatment, compared to control group, the other four methods could more quickly ameliorate the general symptom of herpes zoster, and EF was superior to EC. In addition to electroacupuncture group, the treatment groups could relieve neuralgia and shortened duration of pain, which was superior to control group treatment. In addition, within first 3 days of treatment, the efficacy of treatment with E, EF or ET was superior to that of EC, and EF was better to E. After five days or end-of-treatment, the efficiency of odynolysis by treatment with EF, ETor EC was no more than E. The incidence of neurodynia was reduced after treatment with EC, EF or ET at 30th, 60th and 90th day, and pain of postherpetic neuralgia was relived. Conclusion: It is a certain advantages for organism reparation, abatement of neurodynia, and reduction of postherpetic neuralgia by acupuncture treatment.

Keywords: Herpes Zoster, Acute, Neurodynia, Acupuncture Treatment

Cite this paper: Lin, G. , Yang, Y. , Zhang, H. , Li, L. , Chen, C. , Liu, Y. , Cha, X. and Li, Q. (2014) Different Acupuncture for Neurodynia and Skin Lesions with Acute Herpes Zoster. Chinese Medicine, 5, 137-144. doi: 10.4236/cm.2014.53017.

References

[1]   Burke, B.L., Steele, R.W., Beard, O.W., Wood, J.S., Cain, T.D. and Marmer, D.J. (1982) Immune Responses to Varicella-Zoster in the Aged. Archives of Internal Medicine, 142, 291-293.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1982.00340150091017

[2]   Meier, J.L. and Straus, S.E. (1992) Comparative Biology of Latent Varicella-Zoster Virus and Herpes Simplex Virus Infections. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 166, S13-S23.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/166.Supplement_1.S13

[3]   Gnann Jr., J.W. and Whitley, R.J. (2002) Herpes Zoster. The New England Journal of Medicine, 347, 340-346.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp013211

[4]   Dworkin, R.H. and Portenoy, R.K. (1996) Pain and Its Persistence in Herpes Zoster. Pain, 67, 241-251.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(96)03122-3

[5]   Gilden, D.H., Dueland, A.N., Cohrs, R., Martin, J.R., Kleinschmidt-DeMasters, B.K. and Mahalingam, R. (1991) Preherpetic Neuralgia. Neurology, 41, 1215-1218.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.41.8.1215

[6]   Bowsher, D. (1995) Pathophysiology of Postherpetic Neuralgia: Towards a Rational Treatment. Neurology, 45, S56S57.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.45.12_Suppl_8.S56

[7]   Lydick, E., Epstein, R.S., Himmelberger, D. and White, C.J. (1995) Herpes Zoster and Quality of Life: A Self-Limited Disease with Severe Impact. Neurology, 45, S52-S53.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/WNL.45.12_Suppl_8.S52

[8]   Graff-Radford, S.B., Kames, L.D. and Naliboff, B.D. (1986) Measure of Psychological Adjustment and Perception of Pain in Postherpetic Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia. Clinical Journal of Pain, 2, 55.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00002508-198602010-00009

[9]   Lancaster, T., Silagy, C. and Gray, S. (1995) Primary Care Management of Acute Herpes Zoster: Systematic Review of Evidence from Randomized Controlled Trials. The British Journal of General Practice, 45, 39-45.

[10]   Volmink, J., Lancaster, T., Gray, S. and Silagy, C. (1996) Treatments for Postherpetic Neuralgia—A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Family Practice, 13, 84-91.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/fampra/13.1.84

[11]   Alper, B.S. and Lewis, P.R. (2002) Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia: A Systematic Review of the Literature. The Journal of Family Practice, 51, 121-128.

[12]   Alper, B.S. and Lewis, P.R. (2000) Does Treatment of Acute Herpes Zoster Prevent or Shorten Postherpetic Neuralgia? The Journal of Family Practice, 49, 255-264.

[13]   Backonja, M. and Glanzman, R.L. (2003) Gabapentin Dosing for Neuropathic Pain: Evidence from Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials. Clinical Therapeutics, 25, 81-104.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2918(03)90011-7

[14]   Rice, A.S. and Maton, S. (2001) Gabapentin in Postherpetic Neuralgia: A Randomised, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study. Pain, 94, 215-224.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3959(01)00407-9

[15]   Owen, W. and Deadman, P. (1994) Treatment by Acupuncture for Herpes Zoster. Journal of Chinese Medicine, 45, 1-2.

[16]   Wu, J. and Guo, Z. (2000) Twenty-Three Cases of Postherpetic Neuralgia Treated by Acupuncture. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 20, 36-37.

[17]   Xuan, L. (2000) Treatment by Moxibustion for Herpes Zoster. Journal of Chinese Medicine, 64, 17-18.

[18]   Page, C.P., Curtis, M.J., Walker, M.J. and Hoffman, B.B. (2006) Integrated pharmacology. 3rd Edition, Elsevier (Mosby), Philadelphia, 87-160.

[19]   Arora, A., Mendoza, N., Brantley, J., Yates, B., Dix, L. and Tyring, S. (2008) Double-Blind Study Comparing 2 Dosages of Valacyclovir Hydrochloride for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Herpes Zoster in Immunocompromised Patients 18 Years of Age and Older. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 197, 1289-1295.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/586903