The virus of varicella zoster produces two syndromes. First, the Varicella, a contagious -usually benign- disease usually present in children. Years later, the reactivation of the virus that lives latent in the root of the dorsal nervous ganglia produces a cutaneous eruption called Herpes Zoster or, popularly, ' shingles'.

The declination of the cellular immunity that can naturally happen by ageing or induced by immune-suppressor diseases, or even medicines, increase the risk of the Herpes Zoster. In people over 75 years, ten in near one thousand cases appear every year. More than 90% of the adults they have evidences of the infection in the blood and therefore, have the risk of suffering Herpes Zoster.

Other factors of risk are patients with Cancer, HIV, immune-suppressor drugs (including steroids) and those who have been the object of transplants.

Natural history

The disease begins with abnormal cutaneous sensations that go from creeps, pruritus, and ardor to severe pain. Soon appears a unilateral eruption of clear vesicles that soon become pustules, ulcers and scabs. The treatment occurs over a period of two to four weeks and results in desquamation and permanent changes in pigmentation. The diagnosis is clinical and the synthetic treatment is with antiviral drugs.

Post-herpes Neuralgia and other Complications 

The post-herpes neuralgia is defined as a pain that persists more than 30 days after the beginning of the eruption or its treatment and is the most frequent complication. The incidence as well as the duration of this complication is closely related to the age of the patient.  It is characterized by neuropathic pain, that can persist during months or years. The conventional treatment uses opioid drugs, steroids, antidepressants and anticonvulsants, nevertheless, the adverse effects of these drugs can specially be addictive in aged people. The antivirals do not prevent the neuralgia.

Systemic treatment

We prescribed to our patient combinations of adaptogens that increase their levels of energy, such as Eleutherococcus senticosus and Pfaffia paniculata; along with plants that harness the immunological system, such as: Astrágalus membranáceus, Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, Echinacea, Uncaria tomentosa, Andrographis paniculata, among others. With these herbal combinations, Systemic Medicine alleviates the pain, reduces severity, duration and complications of Herpes Zoster. In addition, it improves the quality of life of the patient, without producing side effects.