Clinical Efficacy of Combined Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Acute Herpes Zoster: An Observational Study
Objective: To investigate the efficacy and clinical application value of combined traditional Chinese and Western medicine with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in the treatment of acute herpes zoster. Methods: A total of 52 patients with acute herpes zoster treated at our institution were enrolled and randomly assigned to an observation group (n = 27) and a control group (n = 25). Both groups received combined traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy, while the observation group received adjunctive HBO therapy. Recovery speed and therapeutic efficacy were compared between the two groups. Results: The recovery rate was 72% in the observation group versus 37% in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in the overall effectiveness rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group demonstrated significantly faster pain relief and earlier resolution of vesicular lesions (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine with HBO therapy provides substantial pain relief, promotes earlier crusting of skin lesions, and exhibits a favorable safety profile in acute herpes zoster, warranting broader clinical adoption.
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