Shingles is a disease caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus can remain inactive in your body, but if the virus becomes active, it can cause shingles. Shingles affect the nerve endings in the skin and can cause severe pain, itching, or burning and makes the skin much more sensitive than usual. It can appear anywhere on the body.

About 900,000 Americans each year suffer from shingles. It can appear at any age, but it is most common in people over fifty years old. As we become older, the immune system weakens. That means the risk for shingles increases.

The symptoms of shingles may include chills, fever, aching, blisters, painful sensitive skin, numbness, depression, tingling, shooting pain, or headache. Its pain may continue for a few weeks, months, or even years after the blisters have disappeared. Shingles may affect the internal organs, including the lungs and kidneys, even sometimes, causing permanent injury, such as blindness, deafness, or paralysis, depending on the area of the infected nerves.

Western medicine holds that an attack of shingles can be brought on by many factors, for example; physical or emotional stress, cancer, certain drugs, a deficiency of the immune system, a minor injury or a mild cold. Shingles may even affect a healthy person. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that the internal heat of the body can attract the virus. And the internal heat can be formed from the imbalance of the liver, stomach, heart, lungs or intestines.

Sara F. was in her early fifties. She was one of my old patients. One day, she saw me and told me she had broken out in shingles two days before and had seen her doctor and wanted me to help her pain with acupuncture. She also said that her appetite was low and she had a headache, heaviness in her chest, interrupted sleep, depression, a sore throat, frequent urination and constipation.

She told me that her husband had just died, and she was so sad, fearful and stressed. After checking her tongue and pulse, I decided to use the combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs to clear the heat from her system and balance her Yin and Yang. After two treatments, her pain was much better and the shingle blisters were drying up. After ten days she was completely well. Now, she has a happy normal life again.

John T. was 92 years old and retired. He had shingle pain around his low back. This had been coming and going for years. He was referred to my office by his doctor. Because he was taking many medications, he was not given Chinese herbs. Only acupuncture was used for him. Since he had shingles for a longtime, it took more treatments than usual to stop his pain. After he recovered, he said he should have gotten acupuncture many years ago. He felt his mood and energy were both much improved and generally upgraded.

To prevent shingles, eat healthy (radish, turnips, or turnip greens, cucumbers, water melons, or pears), take regular exercises (Tai Chi Qi Gong, Yoga, walking, or hiking). Work and rest on schedule. If you are having emotion problems, try to see a counselor for help or get acupuncture treatments to release the negative energy as soon as possible. Meditate or pray every day to keep the mind at peace and positive. If you do get shingles, the sooner you receive acupuncture and Chinese herbs, the better.

Contact Li Hua L.Ac. TCMD at Atlanta Acupuncture Center or 404-250-9903 or e-mail lihua@aac2000.com or surf her web site at www.aac2000.com