Early intervention of surrounding needling technique in the treatment of herpes zoster: a case report

Abstract

Herpes zoster is an infectious skin disease caused by the reactivation of varicella zoster virus that has long been latent in the posterior spinal or cranial ganglia.1 Early and effective intervention for herpes zoster is important for the prevention and treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN).2 The surrounding needling technique in acupuncture therapy, in which multiple needles are inserted around the lesion, has a long history in the treatment of herpes zoster, with evidence of efficacy.3 Here, we report a case of complete recovery of a patient with herpes zoster in whom the surrounding needling technique was applied at an early stage.