Understanding and Treating Shingles: A Chinese Medicine Perspective


Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a painful and distressing condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. While modern medicine offers antiviral treatments, Chinese Medicine provides a holistic approach to managing the symptoms and addressing the underlying imbalance that allows the virus to resurface.  


What are Shingles?

Shingles are characterized by an outbreak of fluid-filled blisters that typically affect the skin or face. The condition can last between one and 14 days and arises when the varicella-zoster virus, which lies dormant in the body after a chickenpox infection, becomes active again.  

Symptoms often begin with a burning or tingling sensation in a specific area on one side of the body, followed by the appearance of painful, itchy blisters. The intensity of pain can vary widely, ranging from mild discomfort to severe agony.  


Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment

Treating shingles with acupuncture and other modalities of Chinese Medicine requires a deep understanding of its underlying principles. Shingles is typically viewed as a *wind-heat* condition in Chinese Medicine, with treatment tailored to the affected areas and channels.  

Acupuncture protocols for shingles often focus on addressing the systemic imbalance while alleviating local symptoms. Commonly used points include:  

  • BL40 (Weizhong): For clearing heat and cooling the blood.  
  • SP10 (Xuehai): To invigorate and harmonize the blood.  
  • LI11 (Quchi): For clearing heat and resolving inflammation.  

Additional points may be chosen based on the location of the blisters and the specific channels involved.  

As with all acupuncture treatments, a personalized approach guided by a skilled practitioner is essential to achieve the best outcomes. Chinese Medicine offers a unique perspective that not only addresses the physical symptoms but also supports overall health and balance.


Current Research

Liu 2018 SR & MA: Seven RCTs comparing acupuncture versus pharmacologic therapy were included. Meta-analysis was conducted for acupuncture’s effect on postherpetic neuralgia evaluating by pain intensity. Results from 2 RCTs showed that compared with pharmacologic therapy, acupuncture was better in decreasing the pain intensity measured by visual analog scale score; however, overall there was not enough evidence to suggest that acupuncture was superior to pharmacologic therapy in improving global impression or life quality. No adverse effects about acupuncture were reported. In all, acupuncture is safe and might be effective in pain relieving for patients with it(1).

Wang Y, Li W, Peng W, Zhou J, Liu Z. Acupuncture for postherpetic neuralgia: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine. 2018 Aug;97(34).