Shingles Treatment

Shingles is a type of viral infection whose most prominent symptom is a painful rash that usually appears as blisters on one side of the torso. Early shingles treatment can shorten how long the infection lasts for and reduce the chances of complications. Traditional Chinese medicine is an excellent supplement and complementary therapy to the care provided by your GP.

The virus responsible for causing shingles is the varicella-zoster virus – the same one that causes chickenpox. Once you have had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in the nerve tissue near the spinal cord and the brain. Years later, it may reactivate and travel to the skin through the nerve pathways, where it then manifests as shingles.

Shingles can be excruciatingly painful and has several related issues, including, most commonly, postherpetic neuralgia. This is when damaged nerve fibres send confused and exaggerated pain messages from the skin to the brain, causing painful symptoms long after the blisters have actually cleared.

Shingles can be triggered or worsened by a weakened immune system. That is why dietary changes that strengthen the immune system can help prevent shingles from worsening or spreading across your body.
To promote healing, we recommend that you eat foods that include the vitamins A, B-12, C, E and the amino acid lysine.
Chinese medicine believes that foods that create heat and dampness in the body, such as alcohol, sugar, spicy food and seafood, can worsen the symptoms of shingles. We recommend that you avoid these foods if you have been suffering from this condition.

Acupuncture can effectively improve shingles as it focuses on the holistic treatment of every individual’s patients own symptoms and physical and mental constitution.
There are three key patterns of shingles identified in traditional Chinese medicine. Our acupuncturists will determine which pattern of shingles you are suffering from and choose the corresponding acupuncture points to treat the underlying energy imbalance.
Because acupuncture is a holistic form of shingles treatment, you can also use it to strengthen your immune system to help fight off the virus and treat other symptoms you may be experiencing, such as nausea or headaches.

Acupuncture and herbs have been used to help treat shingles for thousands of years. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is viewed as being related to heat and dampness. For this reason, your practitioner will focus on treatments intended to relieve these conditions within the body.
These treatments can be used alongside western medicine to facilitate your healing process and prevent associated long-term pain and damage. They are also excellent for alleviating subtler symptoms or mild cases of shingles without the risk of side effects from additional, over-the-counter medication.
Acupuncture and herbs can be used safely, either alone or as an adjunct therapy, to improve the healing of shingles and prevent long-term, associated nerve damage and pain. They’re also fantastic for alleviating subtler symptoms of shingles without the need for additional medication and the risk of side effects.
In addition to the specific shingles treatment our acupuncturist will provide you, our practitioners can also offer you general guidance about the best foods to add to or remove from your diet to relieve the associated inflammation and pain.

Chinese medicine describes shingles outbreaks as manifesting in three different patterns. Your acupuncturist will focus on various acupuncture points depending on the specific pattern your outbreak features.

The skin lesions are red, hot and filled with fluid. You experience a burning sensation that resembles pinpricks. In such a situation, the person is usually hot and irritable and may experience a dry mouth and an intense thirst.
In this pattern of shingles, you may have been suffering from a long period of emotional stress or pushing yourself to do too much work.Our acupuncturists will probably recommend that you withhold from consuming sugar and alcohol and improve your diet in general.
Related shingles treatment will focus on clearing the blockage of Qi in your liver and draining heat from your body. You may also be treated to reduce inflammation and associated stress and boost your immune system.

A patient with this pattern will have large blisters that are filled with fluid. As these blisters have fragile skin, their walls break easily, which means that you may be prone to infection. You are also likely to suffer from poor digestion and experience a lack of appetite.
Treatment for this pattern will involve draining the heat from the affected area and draining the dampness present.

This pattern is the one associated with postherpetic neuralgia. It is most prevalent in the elderly, especially those who are fatigued and rundown. The pain experienced will feel sharp, like pinpricks, or you may experience soreness in the area of the rest.
The pain is associated with a stagnation of the body’s Qi energy and blood. To improve it, our acupuncturists will aim to remove this blockage and get your Qi energy flowing regularly through your body.
Our acupuncturists are skilled, experienced professionals dedicated to offering you a holistic shingles treatment to restore you to physical and mental health. Discover how we can alleviate your pain by booking a free consultation with us at happipuncture.co.nz