[Observation on therapeutic effect of pricking blood therapy combined with acupuncture on herpes zoster].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effects of pricking blood therapy combined with acupuncture and routine western medicine on herpes zoster. METHODS: Two hundred and forty cases were randomly divided into 2 groups, 120 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with acupuncture combined with pricking blood therapy on the point with the most pain, and cupping and surround needling; the control group with external application and oral administration of Aciclovir plaster and Aciclovir tablets, respectively. Their therapeutic effects were compared. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 92.5% in the treatment group and 55.8% in the control group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The time of producing killing pain, stopping vesication and scabbing in the treatment group was shorter than that in the control group. CONCLUSION: The pricking blood therapy combined with acupuncture is an effective therapy for herpes zoster.