It Should Be Combined with Antiviral Treatments
By Winston Lee L.Ac., Ph.D., KMD
Shingles is not caused by physical injury or muscle strain. It comes from the varicella-zoster virus—the same virus that causes chickenpox. After someone has chickenpox, the virus stays in the body and hides in nerve tissue near the spine. When a person is extremely stressed or exhausted and their immune system becomes weak, the virus reactivates. It inflames the sensory nerves, which leads to sharp, sudden pain on the skin.
Shingles often starts with pain in the back or along the side of the body. It appears for no reason—no recent injury, no overuse, and no physical strain. Patients who develop shingles are usually fatigued, sleep-deprived, and often over the age of 50. Many have chronic health conditions or weaker immune systems. The pain from shingles can be easily mistaken for regular back pain at first. What makes it tricky is that the signature rash—red blisters that often form in a stripe along the trunk—does not appear immediately. It might not appear for several days. In those early days, there were no visible signs, just pain. That’s what makes it easy to misdiagnose.
A man in his 60s, who was already getting treatment from me for another reason, suddenly called me a few days ago. He said he got shingles, and the pain was extremely severe. At first, he went to see his primary doctor and got antiviral and steroid medications. He was also taking strong narcotic painkillers. But the pain was still awful, so he asked if acupuncture could help. I told him yes. He came in for treatment yesterday. Then today, he came back and said the pain had dropped to less than 50% compared to yesterday. He also said he was able to sleep well last night because of that and was very happy.
This patient was distinctly different from others with shingles. Usually, shingles shows up on the lower back, upper back, or side. However, in this case, it was apparent on the face. The face is more sensitive than other parts of the body, so the pain can be much worse than on the back. Additionally, if the virus spreads to the eye, it can become a serious condition. In the worst case, it might even lead to blindness, so extra care is needed.
In this case, it is recommended not to use acupuncture needles on the face or neck if blisters are present. Instead of using ashi points (painful local points), it’s safer to use distal acupuncture points (points away from the painful area). For the hands, I used Hapgok (LI4), Igan (LI2), Samgan (LI3), Oegwan (TE5), and Gokji (LI11). For the legs, I used Joksamli (ST 36), Yangneungcheon (GB 34), Hae-gye (ST 41), Haenggan (LV 2), and Eunbaek (SP 1). Among these, LI4, LV2, and SP1 are also painful points, but since the pain from shingles is already very strong, the small pain from acupuncture won’t be a problem, so there’s no need to worry.
In short, when a patient develops shingles, it can cause significant pain. But it’s important to know that acupuncture can help reduce pain and inflammation almost as well as Western medicine treatments like painkillers and steroids. However, don’t forget to tell the patient to visit an urgent care or a medical doctor in the initial stage to get antiviral medicine and possibly steroids. The leading cause of shingles is a weakened immune system. So, the patient should take at least two weeks off from work or other duties to rest and heal properly. At the same time, it’s also essential to see an Oriental Medicine Doctor and take herbal medicine, such as ginseng or deer antlers. The patient can boost their energy and immune system. This helps reduce pain quickly and prevents it from coming back.
