Shingles is caused by herpes zoster, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can be an effective and safe natural remedy for this painful condition.
If you have ever had chicken pox, the herpes
zoster virus lingers in your body for life. As we become older and our qi
(lifeforce or basal energy) weakens, the herpes zoster virus can emerge again
in the form of shingles. This process typically occurs after a period of
chronic stress, illness, or a traumatic event. Shingles is a condition that can
be experienced by many individuals for centuries, and Traditional Chinese
Medicine has some very effective remedies for it.
After a person has chickenpox, the herpes
zoster virus migrates to the nerve cells of the body and remains dormant for
decades. When a stressful event brings the virus out of its dormancy, the first
symptoms are typically pain or tingling in an affected area of the body. Next,
a red rash appears over the area. This in itself is extremely uncomfortable,
but it gets worse! The red bumps of the rash turn to virus-filled blisters.
Like chickenpox, these blisters eventually dry, develop a crust, and turn
yellow. Unlike chickenpox, however, the rash and blisters usually only occur on
one side of the body. It is common to have them over the rib cage, side of the
face, side of the neck, or one arm.
The final stage of shingles involves a
neuralgia, which is pain due to temporary nerve damage. This nagging pain can
be unbearable at times, and it can last several months. The conventional
Western treatment for shingles is an antiviral drug, pain relievers, steroids, and
topical creams. These are palliative forms of treatment that are not very
effective for most people.
You should visit your acupuncturist
in Del Mar, CA upon the first
symptoms of shingles. Do not wait until the final stages and expect one
acupuncture treatment to alleviate the neuralgia forever! Acupuncture is most
effective during the first two weeks of shingles symptoms. Getting acupuncture
in La Jolla, CA every day during the first two weeks of a shingles outbreak can
prevent the post-herpetic neuralgia or decrease the amount of time that the
length of the neuralgia to weeks instead of months.
Chinese Herbal Medicine is an effective remedy
at each stage of the shingles outbreak. Your acupuncturist may give you tonic
herbal formulas to strengthen your immune system so it can fight the virus.
There are also herbal antivirals that are effective at fighting the virus
without causing harsh side effects. Finally, pain-relieving topical and
internal formulas can provide symptomatic relief. It’s essential during a
shingles attack to eat a nutrient-dense diet and take supplements as
recommended by your practitioner. Zinc and selenium are known to be beneficial,
in particular.
According to the world-renowned herbalist Andrew
Gaeddert, there are five “types” of shingles that may present clinically. The
first type is characterized by lots of heat in the body, and the recommended
treatment is Da Qing Ye & Ban Lan Gen, a heat clearing anti-viral formula,
to be taken internally three times daily. The second type involves migrating
pain, and a combination of heat-clearing, pain-relieving, wind-relieving,
blood-moving, and mildly tonifying herbs are recommended. The third type of
shingles most often occurs in elderly, immunocompromised, or otherwise weakened
patients. Combinations of powerful medicinal mushrooms are given to strengthen
the body’s qi and immune system. The fourth type consists of stagnation of
blood in the body. A combination of blood-moving and pain-relieving herbs may
be used. The final type of shingles includes both deficiency and stagnation. In
this case, a combination of blood-building and blood-moving herbs are given.
You may experience more than one type of shingles during your outbreak.
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