Herpes Zoster

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• Definition
• Introduction
• Signs & Symptoms
• Research Summary

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Executive Summary

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Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Research into Chinese medicine treatment for Herpes Zoster" summarising the research below and using language that can be easily understood by patients and avoiding medical jargon using a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write an executive summary in the form of a blog article on the topic of "Researched Chinese medicine treatments for Herpes Zoster" summarising the research below in an objective and easy to understand way, and using language that can be easily understood by patients. Group the article into Chinese medicine treatments first, followed by nutrition and other treatments. Avoid using medical jargon and use a professional and caring tone of voice.

Write me a concise but easy to understand executive summary on the topic of "Chinese medicine treatments for Herpes Zoster" based on the following research that I will give you. Your summary should be 2 paragraphs long in Australian English spelling and include references to the studies.

A Clinical Study published in 2025 in the journal PLOS One found that Wrist-ankle acupuncture in conjunction with standard pharmacological treatment may enhance acute phase pain relief in herpes zoster patients. In an open-label, randomized, controlled clinical trial, patients in the acute phase of herpes zoster with significant pain were randomly assigned to two treatment groups. The control group was given standard pharmacological treatment which included antiviral therapy combined with pain relievers. The experimental group received wrist-ankle acupuncture in addition to the standard pharmacological treatment. The pain experienced by the participants was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on days 1-7 and on day 28 after the beginning of the treatment. The quality of life related to the patients' dermatological conditions was also assessed before treatment started and at the point of hospital discharge. The pain cure rates, or the rates of complete absence of pain, in the experimental group were found to be higher than that of the control group seven days after the treatment had begun. Lower pain VAS scores were seen in the experimental group on days 2-6 post-treatment. There was no notable difference between the two groups on day 7 and day 28 after the treatments started. The quality of life scores taken at the point of hospital discharge indicated a significant difference. The frequency of side effects was similar in both groups. The data suggests that adding wrist-ankle acupuncture to standard pharmacological treatment may enhance pain relief in acute phase herpes zoster patients.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2025 in the journal Medicine found that Electroacupuncture treatment significantly improves clinical and immunological outcomes for herpes zoster patients compared to Western medicine. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, utilizing data from four international databases and three Chinese databases, searched up until January 2024. The software tool RevMan 5.3 was utilized for the meta-analysis, with data presented as standardized mean difference or odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Out of 1361 records, 19 were ultimately used in the meta-analysis. The analysis results indicated notable benefits for herpes zoster patients receiving electroacupuncture treatments compared to those receiving Western Medicine. Patients receiving electroacupuncture showed improved counts in certain biological markers associated with immune response, as well as quicker times to several key points in disease progression such as cessation of pustules, pain relief, time to scab, and time to remove scabs. Additionally, there was a lower incidence of postherpetic neuralgia and a higher total effective rate in this treatment group. However, the combination of Western medicine with electroacupuncture was found to have better effects than electroacupuncture treatment alone.

A Systematic Review published in 2024 in the journal Skin Research and Technology found that Acupuncture and moxibustion are growing in popularity as therapeutic approaches to treat herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia. To analyze current research trends in treating herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia with acupuncture and moxibustion, a systematic search was carried out on several Chinese and English databases. The search focused on literature published from the beginning of 2014 to the end of 2023. Using CiteSpace software, the authors performed data analysis, concentrating on various criteria including authorship, institutional contribution, source, keywords, and temporal trends. The analysis of 1612 publications confirmed the increasing interest in applying acupuncture and moxibustion for the conditions mentioned. Two particular peaks in publication in the Chinese database were found in 2019 and 2023 and a significant increase in English publications was observed in 2020. Notably, Guohua Lin and Jingchun Zeng emerged as the most active authors in the Chinese and English databases respectively, and Chengdu University of TCM and Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University were the most productive institutions. "Herpes zoster" was identified as the most consistent keyword in Chinese literature, while "postherpetic neuralgia," "acupuncture," and "management" were more often used in English publications. Treatment approaches like fire needle therapy and electroacupuncture were highlighted as effective in managing herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia. Animal studies suggested these therapies work by modulating neuroinflammatory markers and intracellular signaling pathways.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2024 in the journal Medicine found that Different acupuncture therapies, particularly electroacupuncture combined with pricking and cupping, effectively treat acute Herpes Zoster symptoms. The study's methodology involved searching various databases, including the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese BioMedical Database, VIP Database, and Wanfang Database, for eligible randomized controlled trials of acupuncture-related therapies for acute Herpes Zoster. Researchers then used Bayesian network meta-analyses via GeMTC and R software to analyze the gathered data. In terms of results, it was found that electroacupuncture combined with pricking and cupping had the best efficacy to improve pain and reduce the progression of herpes. Furthermore, pricking and cupping were highly effective in reducing the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. The study also noted that the rate of adverse events associated with acupuncture therapies was acceptable. These findings suggest that acupuncture-related therapies were both safe and effective in treating acute Herpes Zoster.

A Systematic Review published in 2023 in the journal Medicine found that Acupuncture-related therapies, specifically acupotomy, bloodletting, acupuncture, fire needle, and moxibustion, are effective intervention measures for treating herpes zoster. A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on 26 randomised controlled trials involving 1929 patients with herpes zoster. For this research, international databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and others, were carefully and systematically searched. The chosen papers were then screened, and their data was extracted independently by two researchers. All gathered data was analyzed using respective software. In the analysis, it was found that acupotomy worked best in terms of reducing pain and the time of scab formation on the skin. On the other hand, bloodletting was found to be most efficient in halting the formation of new blisters. Moreover, acupuncture significantly improved the time it takes for a crust to fall off, while moxibustion helped in reducing the incidence of lingering pain after the healing of shingles. Western medicines were found to be closely related to adverse reactions.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2023 in the journal Journal of Acupuncture Research found that The application of acupuncture proved notably effective in alleviating pain and managing symptoms in patients suffering from herpes zoster. The methodology of this study involved conducting a systematic review of clinical trials related to acupuncture and electro-acupuncture treatment for herpes zoster up until October 2022. The trials included were those that utilized acupuncture. The primary outcomes analyzed were visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the overall effectiveness of the treatment. Secondary outcomes encompassed time intervals to pain relief and elimination, stages of incrustation, and decrustation, as well as the final incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). In the analysis of results, it was noted that compared with conventional medication therapy, acupuncture was linked with a considerable improvement in pain as measured by the VAS and in overall treatment effectiveness. There were also improvements in times to pain relief and elimination. Additionally, significant improvements were noted in the timeframes to the end of new blister formation, incrustation, and decrustation. Importantly, the incidence of PHN was lower among patients who underwent acupuncture treatments, suggesting that acupuncture could be a viable treatment option for managing pain and related symptoms in patients with herpes zoster.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Dermatologic Therapy found that Long Dan Xie Gan formula used as an adjuvant therapy may hasten skin healing, relieve pain symptoms, and prevent persistent pain in acute herpes zoster patients. For the methodology, multiple databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wanfang were searched by two independent authors for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCT) until July 31, 2021. The chosen studies analysed the additive effects of LDXG formula, in different forms such as decoction, capsule, or pill, for acute herpes zoster management. Nine RCTs fitting the criteria were selected, totaling 821 patients for the meta-analysis. Concerning the results, statistical analysis using a random effect model revealed that adding LDXG formula to conventional therapy noticeably shortened the time of blister resolution, crust formation, and pain resolution. It also reduced the pain intensity and incidence of lingering pain for those with acute herpes zoster in comparison to conventional treatment alone. Yet, this evidence was assessed as being of very low to moderate certainty, indicating interpretation of these results should be cautious due to statistical heterogeneity and/or an unclear risk of bias existing.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Electroacupuncture offers superior results than control treatment for acute herpes zoster pain and rash healing time. The chosen method for this study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of previously published research. The research team conducted a comprehensive search across multiple databases in both English and Chinese languages, seeking out randomized controlled trials relevant to the application of Electroacupuncture for acute herpes zoster pain. The explicit criteria were set for investigation and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool deployed to evaluate the methodological quality of the chosen studies. The key outcome indexes included visual analog scale, rash healing time, time to cessation of pustules, time to scabs, adverse reactions, and the occurrence of postherpetic neuralgia and specific subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to pinpoint the intervention's effect. The data extracted from six selected randomized controlled trials (341 participants in total) indicates that Electroacupuncture demonstrates an observable improvement in treatment of acute herpes zoster pain and reduction in rash healing time when compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was noticed in relation to time to cessation of pustules, scabs, and adverse reactions. The use of 2/100 Hz-EA specifically seemed to have more substantial effects on herpes zoster pain. Though the study results were found to be stable, an observed publication bias and weak evidence for the safety of Electroacupuncture dilutes the overall conclusion.

A Meta-Analysis published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that

A Meta-Analysis published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Acupuncture effectively treats herpes zoster with less side effects and costs compared to conventional antiviral therapy. In the methodology of this review, various sources of randomized controlled trials were evaluated comparing acupuncture to traditional antiviral medicine for the treatment of Herpes Zoster. The digital databases used for the search included Embase, PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Knowledge, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and China Biology Medicine Disc. Data were extracted and the risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool. The review integrated data from 15 trials, giving a total of 1811 participants. The results showed that acupuncture as a control group had a higher clinical cure rate than Western medicine therapy. Also, a meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in the incidence of Postherpetic Neuralgia in participants who received acupuncture therapy compared to those who received pharmacotherapy. Moreover, according to the reported economic indicators, acupuncture therapy cost less and had fewer adverse reactions compared to the conventional antiviral therapy. However, due to the risk of bias and imprecision of the included studies, a concrete conclusion is to be considered with caution.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that Traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, can provide superior pain relief and faster recovery for HIV-related Herpes Zoster compared to regular drugs. The review began by searching nine electronic databases for randomized controlled trials focused on the use of traditional Chinese medicine in treating HIV-associated Herpes Zoster. Two independent authors extracted data on interventions and outcomes, and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate the quality of the trials. Meta-analyses were subsequently performed using specific software. Results of the review showed that in general, the use of Chinese herbal medicine resulted in lower pain intensity and shorter herpes-related pain duration. Additionally, patients treated with this type of medicine and combined treatments recorded lower incidences of postherpetic neuralgia. The cure rate, defined as the complete absence of pain and herpes, also significantly improved with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, compared to regular drugs. Notably, four trials reported on side effects, and no severe adverse events were mentioned.

A Systematic Review published in 2022 in the journal TMR Non-Drug Therapy found that Fire-acupuncture combined with electro-acupuncture appears to be the most effective acupuncture method for treating herpes zoster. For the methodology, the researchers identified all randomized controlled trials related to acupuncture treatments for herpes zoster across seven databases. During the screening process, the effectiveness rate from each trial was noted as primary outcomes. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was then performed using multiple software tools. In discussing the results, the researchers discovered that fire-acupuncture plus electro-acupuncture stands out as the top-performing treatment. This was followed by body acupuncture combined with moxibustion, fire-acupuncture alone, and several other combinations of acupuncture methods and western medicine. Importantly, no significant difference was found between the outcomes of direct and indirect comparisons.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Complementary Medicine Research found that Acupuncture treatment offers significant benefits for herpes zoster patients, including reduced pain intensity and faster healing times. The methodologies of this study entailed screening five databases for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that were published up to August 2019. These studies had to examine the effectiveness of acupuncture as a standalone treatment for herpes zoster. Key outcomes assessed included pain intensity, crust formation time, crust shedding time, and the occurrence of post-herpetic neuralgia. In the study's results, there was considerable impact noted from acupuncture treatment on the herpes zoster patients. When compared to antiviral therapy, it was found that acupuncture led to less pain, quicker formation and shedding of crusts, and a lower incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia. A meta-regression analysis identified that the sample size and treatment duration were significant sources of variation in the results. Despite some variation in the decrustation time data, a sensitivity analysis indicated that the general outcomes were stable and reliable.

A Systematic Review published in 2021 in the journal Journal of Clinical Images and Medical Case Reports found that Long Dan Xie Gan Decoction combined with valacyclovir appears to enhance the treatment of herpes zoster, improving pain intensity, and crust formation time. For this systematic review, a comprehensive search was conducted in bibliographic databases - PubMed, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan-fang Database until the 6th of April, 2021. The main focus was on Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) that looked at herpes zoster treatments involving the combined use of Longdanxiegan Decoction (LDXGD) and valacyclovir. The quality of these studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and a meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4.1 software. The analysis incorporated five studies with a total of 414 participants. The methodological quality of these studies ranged from low to moderate. The combined use of LDXGD and valacyclovir showed relative benefits in efficacy rates compared to the use of valacyclovir alone. This was reflected in the lower pain intensity noted by a visual analogue scale, decreased incidence of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and shorter time frame to crust formation. However, the safety profile for the combined treatment of LDXGD and valacyclovir remains unclear.

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