Patient's question:
Thank you for the previous doctor's response. I would also like to know if this condition can be completely cured? Is there a possibility of recurrence? My husband and I are very careful about hygiene, and neither of us has had sexual relations with anyone else. How did I get infected? How serious is this condition? I was found to be carrying this virus. Does my husband need to be tested as well? Thank you! First question supplement: This is the question I previously asked: I had a prenatal test, which included a blood test with five items. Among them, my anti-simplex virus (II) IgG and HSV2-IgG were negative. Anti-simplex virus (II)Doctor's answer:
Hello, herpes is one of the most easily prevalent viral skin infections in spring. It is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus after initial infection, leading to clustered vesicles arranged in a zoster pattern along the dermatomes supplied by nerves, accompanied by neuralgia. Patients with herpes zoster should seek early medical diagnosis and active treatment even before the onset of pain in affected areas.Treatment primarily involves general and symptomatic management. The principles are: antiviral therapy, pain relief, prevention of secondary infections, and shortening the course of the disease.
① Neuralgia: Pain relievers such as aspirin, metamizole, indomethacin, ibuprofen, and Xinhuang tablets can be administered. For post-herpetic neuralgia, a combination of analgesics and sedatives is required, such as:
- Duloxetine 25mg, taken three times daily orally;
- Cytosine arabinoside 0.2g, dexamethasone 1.5mg, and cyproheptadine 2mg, taken three times daily orally;
- Vitamin B12 100mcg, administered once daily intramuscularly, for a total of 10 days.
② Local skin care and treatment: Apply phenylbutazone ointment or calamine lotion externally three to five times daily. For erosion, apply a 2% gentian violet solution or neomycin and rice bran oil ointment. Alternatively, treatments such as ultraviolet light irradiation, audio electrotherapy, laser irradiation (helium-neon or CO2 beam irradiation), and TDP spectrum irradiation can be used.
③ Ocular herpes zoster: Apply acyclovir eye drops or vidarabine solution to the eyes. Atropine may be used to dilate pupils to prevent corneal adhesion.
Antiviral treatment is primarily used for immunocompromised or immunosuppressed patients, such as acyclovir or ganciclovir. Oral high-efficiency antiviral drugs (e.g., acyclovir, valacyclovir) can be used, along with topical acyclovir eye drops applied to affected areas. Antibacterial drugs may also be taken orally or applied as erythromycin ointment externally. If blisters rupture, apply a 2.5% gentian violet solution to the affected area. Corticosteroids should be used cautiously and for short-term only! For patients receiving cytotoxic, immunosuppressive, or metabolic antagonist drugs, as these may lead to viral dissemination, the dosage should be reduced or the drugs discontinued as much as possible. Herbal decoctions for clearing heat and detoxifying, combined with acupuncture therapy, can be supportive. Recommended traditional Chinese patent medicines include:
- Longdan Xiegan pills for those with liver fire, taken orally;
- Weilin pills or Shenling Bai Zhu pills for those with spleen deficiency and dampness accumulation, taken orally;
- Xuefu Zhuyu pills for those with blood stasis, taken orally.
During treatment, bed rest, proper nutrition, and wearing clean, soft cotton clothing to reduce friction are recommended. If pain interferes with sleep, appropriate sedative and analgesic medications may be taken. Spring is a season when many infectious diseases are prevalent, so it is important to maintain regular exercise, a positive mood, and a disciplined lifestyle.
The dosages and usage of the above medications should be followed under medical advice.