Wang Zhenzhen, Zeng Zhenming, Zheng Xiahai, Gao Haiwei, Chen Haoxiong, Chen Yujia
Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2025 Mar 28;104(13):e42066. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000042066.
Herpes zoster is a common skin disease that manifests as clustered herpes, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and other herpes zoster-related complications, as well as eye diseases and various visceral diseases. Pharmaceutical therapy may cause adverse responses and has limited efficacy. Therefore, exploring alternative and effective therapies is important for clinical physicians.
The patient was a 62-year-old female. She suffered from clustered herpes in her left forehead and head, which caused severe pain. The patient had received pharmaceutical therapy but did not respond to it.
Cephalofacial herpes zoster.
The patient underwent a 1-week course (4 sessions) of subcutaneous acupuncture. The treatment involved fire acupuncture (swift pricking) and common acupuncture (transverse insertion), both of which were performed on the superficial skin layer.
After the 4 treatment sessions, the patient's herpes disappeared quickly, and the pain was relieved. After the 12-month follow-up, the patient had no PHN.
Subcutaneous acupuncture improved the skin lesions condition of herpes zoster rapidly, and relieved the neuralgia effectively. It may prevent the PHN. For patients who are nonresponsive to antiviral medications, especially the elderly population at a high risk of developing PHN, subcutaneous acupuncture (fire acupuncture + common acupuncture) can be considered.
带状疱疹是一种常见的皮肤病，表现为成簇疱疹、带状疱疹后神经痛（PHN）及其他带状疱疹相关并发症，还有眼部疾病和各种内脏疾病。药物治疗可能会引起不良反应且疗效有限。因此，探索替代且有效的治疗方法对临床医生而言很重要。
患者为一名62岁女性。她左前额和头部出现成簇疱疹，引发剧痛。患者接受过药物治疗但无效果。
头面部带状疱疹。
患者接受了为期1周（共4次）的皮下针刺治疗。治疗包括火针（速刺）和普通针刺（横刺），均在皮肤表层进行。
4次治疗后，患者疱疹迅速消失，疼痛缓解。12个月随访后，患者未出现带状疱疹后神经痛。
皮下针刺能迅速改善带状疱疹的皮肤损害状况，有效缓解神经痛。它可能预防带状疱疹后神经痛。对于对抗病毒药物无反应的患者，尤其是有发生带状疱疹后神经痛高风险的老年人群，可考虑皮下针刺（火针+普通针刺）。
