A Case Report of Herpes Zoster Patient Improved by the East-west Medical Combined Treatment

Objectives : The aim of this study is to report a case of a 51-year-old patient with Herpes zoster, whose symptoms were relieved within five weeks after the East-west medical combined treatment. Methods : A Herpes zoster patient with extreme pain around the right lower ribs and lower back was admitted into the Korean medicine hospital. Bee venom acupuncture was applied directly onto the site of pain and electroacupuncture was applied on GV6-BL20, inferior site of spinous process of the 12th thoracic vertebra-BL21, GV5-BL22, GV4-BL23 six times a week. Moxibustion was applied on BL49, BL50, BL51, BL52, GB25, LR13 six times a week, and the patient took daily doses of herbal medicine and western medicines such as anticonvulsants, analgesics, antiepileptics. The patient's symptoms were evaluated with numeric rating scale(NRS) and neuropathic pain scale(NPS). Results : The results were as follows: 1. After the East-west medical combined treatment, the NRS grade decreased from 8 to 1. 2. On the neuropathic pain scale, the patient's symptoms changed from deep sharp pain and burning sensation to superficial dull pain and coldness. Sensitivity to touch, discomfort, and itchiness also decreased. Sudden attacks of pain appeared 14 to 21 days after onset, but disappeared after final treatment. Conclusions : The results of the above patient suggests that the East-west medical combined treatment may be effective for total remission of herpes zoster. Further research is needed to confirm such effects.