Herpes zoster is a unilateral, inflammatory, vesicular eruption caused by a virus, which attacks the posterior root ganglion and produces the skin eruption secondarily along a cranial or spinal nerve.
Sites
The thoracic and lumbar dermatomes are most commonly affected.
Sign & symptoms:
Initially even prior to any eruptions, non specific Head Ache, Fever & malaise( a general feeling of discomfort)occurs. Pain of varying degrees in the form of tingling or burning; hyperasthesia (hypersensitivity) or parasthesia (numbness) occurs unilaterally (over one side of the body). Later the pain & burning gets severe like “quick stabbing & agonizing pain” followed by the rashes.
Onset of rashes:
After 1 or 2 days of incubation, the rashes appear which develops and stays for a period of 15 to 20 days, depending up on one’s immune strength.
Common sites of rashes :
- face
- eyes
- Abdomen
- Shoulder
- Thighs
- Penis.
Appearance of Rashes :
Initially the rash appears as Hives and the transforms in the following order.
- Hives
- Macular lesions
- Papules
- Vesicles
- Vesicles coalesce
- Crusts formed As healing occurs crusts wither Leaves pinkish scars Gradually becomes hypo pigmented or atrophic.
Complications:
- Secondary bacterial infections
- Motor nerve involvement
- Eye involvement
- Post herpetic neuralgia, a condition of chronic pain following herpes zoster.
Ayurvedic relation: KAKSHA
The Herpes zoster causes skin changes limited to a specific dermatome, normally resulting in a stripe or belt-like pattern that is limited to one side of the body and does not cross the mid line. It is based on this pattern of belt like appearance, that the nomenclature of this disease in Ayurveda has been mentioned as KAKSHA. The reference of which is being explained by the Chakrapani’s commentary up on the Charaka chikitsa 12, 11.
The distribution on the oblique part of the trunk reminds the dermatome distribution of the Herpes zoster, which justifies Herpes zoster as the Kaksha.
It is described as a disease caused by vitiated Pitta with anubandha vata dosha.
Line of treatment:
Vatanubandha pitta dosha Chikitsa
Cases:
A 60 yrs old female complaining of fever, malaise with a crusty lesson over left side of abdomen with tingling & burning sensation comes to OPD of Dr. S.C Dutta on 03/04/20.
The case is diagnosed as Herpes Zoster.
Treatment with ayurvedic Medicines started immediately.
The following medication is given-
- Lakshmi Vilas Ras
- Vatagajankush Ras
- Navayas Louha
- Local application of Madhu(Honey)
After 20 days of medication, the condition of patient is surprisingly improved & the crusty lesson started to disappear & the pain subsided also. The photo of condition attached below.
The same medicines are continued for another 2 months & the lesson fully disappeared. The patient has no complain or discomfort, pain or any neuralgia or complications. The photo of this condition attached below.
The patient is now leading a healthy life without any complain or medication.
No one can now imagine the condition she had after seeing the particular area.