Shingles is an infection of a nerve and the area of skin around it, caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus also causes chickenpox. It should be noted that shingles can be very painful as the affected areas become covered with blisters. The good news is that there are effective and safe methods that patients can turn to. This includes visiting TCM clinic to receive TCM Treatment for Shingles.
Using TCM for Shingles treatment had long been part of Singaporean Chinese’s folklore. Being one of the Shingles TCM treatment centers in Singapore, our TCM physicians are experienced in administering shingles TCM treatments to help our shingles patients.
While using TCM for shingles is a tried and tested approach that has been delivering relief and restoration to shingles and other conditions for centuries, it is important to understand the said condition in deeper details. This will enable us to better appreciate the benefits of using TCM Treatment for Shingles.
Shingles can occur at any age, but is most common in people who are over 50. It can affect any part of the body. Areas commonly affected include the neck, shoulder, upper back, chest, abdomen, and in some cases, even the face or eyes. It causes a painful rash which develops into itchy blisters. It can cause severe nerve pain that lasts for many months, or even years, after the rash has gone.
Many people may get chickenpox during childhood, but after recovery, the virus remains dormant (inactive) in the nervous system. The immune system stops the virus from becoming active. However, later in life it can be reactivated and cause shingles.
It is not known exactly why the shingles virus is reactivated at a later stage in life to cause shingles, but a potential reason include having lowered immunity.
It is possible to contract the shingles through direct contact with fluid from the blisters of shingles patients. Therefore, people afflicted with shingles should avoid sharing towels or taking part in activities that involve close physical contact with others.
If the person has not had chickenpox before, he will get chicken pox instead of shingles.
Shingles become non-infectious when the blisters dry up to form scabs.
An episode of shingles will normally last for 2 to 4 weeks. The patient will generally feel a tingling sensation in the affected area at first. This will be followed by pain, and then a rash.
Sometimes there may be additional symptoms including confusion, fatigue, fever, headache, upset stomach, abdominal pains, etc.
A number of complications can occur as a result of shingles. They are more likely if you have a weakened immune system or are elderly. Post-herpetic neuralgia is the most common complication resulting from shingles. Some patients experience severe nerve pain if the nerves are damaged. The pain can last for a very long time; even years after the rash had disappeared.
Shingles is explained in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as the presence of pathogenic damp, heat and wind. It usually occurs along the liver or gall bladder meridians on the exterior of the body. If damp is predominant, the lesions are more likely to be in the lower part of the body, with more fluid discharge from the blisters. If heat predominates, blisters show more heat and redness and the pain is more severe. If wind predominates, the lesions are more likely to be in the upper part of the body with a more dominant itching sensation.
In our TCM clinic, our MOH registered TCM physicians will address the patient’s bodily condition, or “internal environment” directly for Shingles TCM Treatment. The diagnosis of “damp heat” actually relates to the condition of the patient’s system, which allows the virus to breed and create the outbreak. Using TCM for shingles diagnosis also allows our TCM physician to provide the patient with practical, simple guidelines on what to do to help speed their recovery through means such as dietary advice (e.g. hot and spicy foods, fried foods and alcohol should be avoided during a shingles outbreak as they contribute to further “dampness and heat” within the body.)
There is no cure for shingles in the perspective of western medicine, but treatment can help ease the symptoms of shingles.
Treatment options include:
Antiviral medication that help to stop the virus from multiplying but do not cure the infection.
Painkiller medicines and topical creams to relieve symptoms
The use of TCM for shingles diagnosis is based on pattern differentiation according to the pathogenic factor and the meridian involved.
Using TCM Treatment for Shingles has proven to be very effective, especially when in the initial stages. Not only can TCM Treatment for Shingles alleviate the excruciating pain and treat the blisters and rash, having TCM treatment for shingles during can significantly reduce the risk of post-herpetic neuralgia.
Likewise, post-herpetic neuralgia, though a very stubborn and painful condition, can be treated with acupuncture & Shingles TCM herbal medication. Our TCM clinic MOH registered TCM physicians will be administering the acupuncture treatment and prescribing TCM Herbal prescription shingles TCM Treatment.
According to shingles TCM diagnosis, shingles usually affects older patients with weak constitution, or younger patients who are suffering from exhaustion. The more pronounced the weakness of the patient, the greater the likelihood of complications, and the more prolonged the course of the disease is likely to be. Unless the underlying condition is dealt with successfully, the possibility of relapse or prolongation of the disease is very high.
In our TCM clinic, our MOH registered TCM physicians have accumulated vast experience in TCM Treatment for Shingles. If you are suffering from shingles, do visit our TCM clinic for treatment as soon as possible, so that our TCM physicians can help to alleviate your pain and aid your recovery.
