Objective: To observe the influence of repeated shallow fire-needle acupuncture stimulation plus cupping on local neuralgia and serum substance P(SP)content in patients with acute herpes zoster (AHZ).
Methods: A total of 60 cases of AHZ patients were randomly divided into control (medication) group and treatment (medication plus fire-needle) group (n＝30 in each). Patients of both groups were ordered to take Famciclovir (0.25 g/time, three times a day) and Mecobalamin (0.5 g/time, three times a day) orally for 7 days. In addition, patients of the treatment group were also treated by repeated shallow fire-needle stimulation and cupping, once a day for 7 days. Before and after the treatment, the patient's pain severity was assessed using visual analogue scale (VAS) and serum SP concentration was measured using ELISA.
Results: After the treatment, the VAS scores and serum SP concentrations in both groups were significantly decreased in comparison with those of their own pre-treatment (P<0.01), and were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group(P<0.01). There was a highly positive correlation between the decreased VAS score and serum SP content in the treatment group(P<0.01).
Conclusion: Repeated shallow fire-needle stimulation plus cupping can accelerate the relief of local neuralgia in AHZ patients, which may be associated with its effect in down-regulating serum SP level.
Keywords: Herpes zoster; Neuralgia; Serum SP; Shallow fire needle stimulation plus cupping.