Herpes zoster is caused by the varicella-zoster virus and is characterized by sudden, dense clusters of herpes along nerve strips that are painful and rarely recur after healing. The disease is common in the spring and fall, and its incidence increases significantly with age, and the older you are, the more severe the disease becomes. The following are the answers to questions of concern to the attention of middle-aged and elderly patients.
1. Is herpes zoster contagious?
The disease is very contagious, herpes zoster patients can not directly spread herpes zoster virus, but can be infected with chickenpox in susceptible people, so infants and young children, pregnant women need to pay attention.
2.Will a full circle of tangles kill me?
The disease occurs on one side of the body, in the elderly concept that if the rash around the waist a circle may cause life-threatening, of course, this is not scientific.
3. Who is prone to the disease?
Generally, middle-aged and elderly people with reduced immunity are prone to develop the disease, such as staying up late, tiredness, cold, long illness, weakness, etc. In recent years, the age of onset of the disease has gradually become younger.
4.What are the manifestations of the disease?
Prodromal symptoms: some people have cold symptoms, mild weakness, low fever, poor nausea, etc.
Rash: generally appear first erythematous, soon appear small papules, clusters of distribution but not fusion, become blisters, tension shiny, herpes clarified, occur on one side of the body, or without prodromal symptoms that rash.
Neuralgia: It may appear as pins and needles, clotting pain, burning and pulling pain, etc., before the onset, with the lesions or after the lesions have subsided. In some patients, post-herpetic neuralgia often remains for months or even years after the elimination of blisters, especially in old and frail patients.
5.What are the most common sites?
Mainly on the waist and abdomen, chest and back, but it can occur all over the body, especially if it occurs on the head and face.
6.What are the complications?
If not treated in time, it often leaves posterior neuralgia or affects the function, which seriously affects the quality of life. If it occurs in the eye, the cornea may be involved, affecting vision and even insomnia, while herpes zoster in the ear canal may cause facial paralysis.
7. What should I do if I have shingles?
The second is to seek immediate medical attention. Early and aggressive antiviral treatment is crucial to prevent post-neuralgia and shorten the course of the disease. Special treatment should be given to special areas of shingles to avoid complications and residual neuralgia. If the patient is not treated until neuralgia has appeared, it means that the nerves have been more seriously damaged, and the treatment effect in this case will be greatly reduced.
8.Why should I choose acupuncture treatment?
Acupuncture has a long history of treatment of pain, with precise efficacy and wide application. It can improve the blood circulation in the internal organs, meridians, tissues and organs, resulting in the smooth running of blood and Qi in the lesion, thus improving the neurotrophic state of the lesion and restoring the normal physiological function. It also inhibits inflammatory exudation, raises the pain threshold, reduces pain response, and thus has a better analgesic effect.
9.What are the precautions?
First of all, ensure rest and maintain a relaxed mood to avoid aggravation of liver depression and qi stagnation and fire. Avoid local stimulation such as hot water, scratching, etc. Keep the area dry and clean, and avoid getting wet before the scabs fall off. Loose underwear, cotton fabrics to reduce friction. Diet pay attention to spicy and stimulating foods, such as seafood, hot pot, beef and mutton, etc., and eat more vegetables and fruits.
10.What are the advantages of early acupuncture?
The rash and neuralgia are the main clinical manifestations of herpes zoster. The rash is still self-healing, while the pain is more difficult to treat. Therefore, the disease cannot be cured based on the crusting off of the skin lesions, but must be judged by the presence or absence of pain as the final criterion. Early intervention of acupuncture, when nerve damage is not obvious, can give full play to the role of acupuncture to attract the evil out of the body or to pass the ligament to relieve pain, to maximize the prevention of nerve damage, reduce the incidence of post-neuralgia, and the treatment cycle will be significantly shortened; relatively speaking, the longer the course of the disease, the treatment cycle will be extended.