Shingles and post-herpetic pain in Grenoble: the perspective of Chinese medicine

A trail of painful blisters on one side of the body, a burning sensation: shingles often occurs after a period of fatigue or stress. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is read as latent Heat waking up.

Why shingles? The perspective of Chinese medicine

In TCM, shingles corresponds to a latent Fire that was smouldering in a meridian (often the Liver or the Gallbladder) and that activates when reserves run low. The pain that persists after the blisters heal signals a stagnation of Blood and residual Heat. We clear the Heat and restore circulation.

Two patterns frequently seen in practice

Liver and Gallbladder Fire (active phase)

Red blisters, burning pain, irritability, bitter taste in the mouth, worse at night.

**Tongue**: red, yellow coating · **Pulse**: wiry, rapid

Blood stagnation with residual Heat (post-shingles pain)

Persistent pain after healing, burning or shooting sensation, dull complexion.

**Tongue**: purple or violaceous spots · **Pulse**: deep, knotted

What traditional Chinese medicine offers

Acupuncture

Points that clear the Heat and move the Blood along the painful path — alongside antiviral treatment.

Dietetics

Reduce alcohol, spices and cooked fats; favour green vegetables, squashes, grains, water.

Lifestyle

Rest (shingles signals an exhausted ground), stress management, gentle local care; consult quickly (antiviral treatment is all the more effective the earlier it is started).

The acupuncture points most often used for this complaint: F3, VB34, V17.

The combined approach of sophrology and Chinese medicine in Grenoble

Traditional Chinese medicine and sophrology complement each other: the first acts on the body's energetic balance, the second on the nervous system and stress management. Combining the two makes it possible to treat the ground — the one that sustains the symptom — and the emotional state that accompanies it. In Grenoble, at the Centre Équilibre, this combined approach is built session after session, according to your profile.

Frequently asked questions

Should I consult quickly?

Yes: antiviral treatment is effective above all in the first 72 hours. TCM comes as a complement.

Why does the pain remain afterwards?

In TCM, a stagnation of Blood and residual Heat sustain the pain: it is the ground that we work on.

Is shingles contagious?

Shingles is not transmitted directly, but it can transmit chickenpox to anyone who has never had it. A medical opinion is essential.

Learn more

→ [TCM practitioner in Grenoble](/praticien-en-medecine-traditionnelle-chinoise-a-grenoble)

→ [Chinese medicine and sleep in Grenoble](/medecine-chinoise-et-sommeil-a-grenoble)

→ [Acupuncture in Grenoble](/l-acupuncture-a-grenoble)

**Ghislaine Morin**, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and sophrologist, welcomes you at 29 Quai Claude Bernard, 38000 Grenoble. Book on 06 24 90 04 98 or online at https://calendly.com/centre-equilibre-sophrologie

Discover the practice in Grenoble : www.sophrologue-grenoble.fr/medecine-chinoise-a-grenoble-38000-38100