Objective To compare the difference of clinical efficacy of thin cotton moxibustion combined with plum-blossom needle and western medication in treatment of herpes zoster.Method Eighty patients with herpes zoster were divided into thin cotton moxibustion group（group A,n=40） and western medication group（group B,n=40） according to the sequence of admission.Patients in group A received thin cotton moxibustion that the colton was used as thin as a cicada＇s wings,combined with plum-blossom needle,and patients in group B received intravenous infusion with 0.25 g of acyclovir once a day,and acyclovir ointment application on affected part for 3-5 times per day.Five days were considered as a course of treatment.Analgesic effect and the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia were observed after two consecutive courses.Result The total effective rate was 97.5%（39/40） in group A,and80.0%（32/40） in group B（P〈0.05）;it was shown from the comparison of course between two groups that the cure rate after one in group A was markedly higher than that in group B（P〈0.01,P〈0.05）;the differences in effectual time and analgesic time between group A and group B were statistically significant（P〈0.05）;after treatment,the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia in group A was markedly lower than that in group B（P〈0.05）.Conclusion Thin cotton moxibustion combined with plum-blossom needle in treatment of herpes zoster can obviously shorten the time of therapy,effectively control pain,and reduce the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia.
