OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of bloodletting pricking, cupping and surrounding acupuncture on blood inflammation-related indices in patients with acute herpes zoster (HZ), and to explore the mechanism of pain control and treatment.

METHODSA total of 60 patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. In the observation group, the patients were treated with bloodletting pricking at herpes, followed by cupping treatment; also the surrounding acupuncture was performed at injured skin. The treatment was given once a day and once every other day after the first 3 days; totally one-week treatment was given. In the control group, the patients were treated with intravenous drip of acyclovir and oral administration of vitamin B1 and B12, once a day for total one week. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and percentages of neutrophil, lymphocyte in peripheral and local blood were observed before and after treatment in the two groups.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the score of VAS was significantly reduced in both groups (both P < 0.05); compared with the control group, the score of VAS and the time of pain relieve were significantly improved in the observation group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared before treatment, the percentages of lymphocyte in peripheral and local blood were reduced after treatment (both P < 0.05) and the percentages of neutrophil in local blood were increased (both P < 0.05). The lymphocyte in local blood was also reduced after treatment in the control group (P < 0.05); compared with peripheral blood in the observation group and local blood in the control group, the percentages of lymphocyte in local blood were reduced (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe efficacy of bloodletting pricking, cupping and surrounding acupuncture on acute herpes zoster is positive, and it can significantly lower the number of lymphocytes in the local blood and increase the number of neutrophil, which is likely to be one of the anti-virus mechanisms.