It is a skin disease caused due to neuron system. In this disease, the pitta dosha causes eruption of reddish painful boils in the hands, armpit, shoulders, eyes and waist.

bahuparshvvasakakseshu krishnavisphotam savedanam
pitta prakopasambhutam kaksamityaminidirshot

The peculiarity of this disease is that the eruptions occur in a single line resembling the sacred thread (yagyopaveet) hence it has been named Zoster. Zoster means girdle. Saint Charak said the following with respect to the cure of this disease:

yajnopavita pratimah prabhutah pittanilamyam janitastu kaksa

Herpes generally occurs in one armpit, at first one or two boils along with swelling erupt, causing severe pain (due to vata). In the beginning a group of red and flat boils erupt, which convert into big boils very soon.

Causes:

The main cause for this disease is a virus, which attacks the Posterior Root Ganglion and creates boils on the skin. This disease is carried along a cranial or spinal nerve. This virus is closely related to the virus in case of Chicken Pox. This is the reason that the chicken pox erupts within 24 hours of eruption of Herpes. If one of the family members suffers from Herpes the children of the same family become prey to chickenpox. Chicken pox and Herpes, both have the same cumulative period and acute illness. Disease can also occur due to the inoculation of Herpes when the person is suffering from chicken pox or vice-versa.

Supportive factors:

It has been seen that the bacteria causing pneumonia, pneumococai and streptrococai also support in the eruption of Herpes. Other than this leprosy, tuberculosis, diabetes, mouth related problems, metabolic faults, head injury, pain in the backbone, fever, drowsiness, tumor, cancerous tumor and lymphatic tumor in the hips, backbone and spinal nerve, AIDS and immuno-suppressive diseases also support the eruptions.

Cumulative period: 7 to 21 days.

Symptoms:

This disease attacks suddenly. Before the attack the patient experiences anxiousness, severe pain on the skin of the nerve under attack, intolerable pain on touching the skin, swelling in the glands of the affected areas, reddishness and burning sensation. Small watery eruptions occur on the red area. All the eruptions do not erupt at one time. The group of shingles erupt at different places, sometimes the disease begins with the eruption of shingles. The fever goes up to 102° – 103° Fahrenheit. The central part of the group of shingles remains normal. The patient experiences intolerable pain and burning sensation in the shingles. After this pus is formed in the watery area. Each shingle heals completely after two to three weeks. Remember that the disease generally occurs in one armpit especially the left one. Sometimes the shingles appear in both the armpits. After healing the skin in the affected area becomes darkish and scars are formed. The scars are due to the drying up off pus in the shingles. The disease is more common among the adults and elderly people when compared to the children. When most of the shingles dry up the pain also reduces. At times the shingles remain hidden and hence the nervous pain remains for longer time. This is known as Post Herpetic Neuralgia. This stage continues for some years or even life long in case of weak and old people.

Neuralgia in the armpits:

In this disease the illness is severe in the ophthalmic and nerves inside the ribs. Other than this the nerves of the face, ninth and tenth nerves and nerves of the spine can also suffer from illness. In case of illness in the nerves of the eyes, the eyes can completely destroy due to the wounds and boils in the eyes and other disease. Apart from this the shingles appear in the anterior part of the tongue, nose, mouth, posterior side of the ears and the neck due to the illness of the nerves.

Advanced illness:

In this disease illness of the sensory nervous tissues along with the bodily tissues injures the muscles. The injury to the muscles of face, stomach and hands is more common, the shingles erupt on the head and neck along with wounds. The chances of recurrence of the disease are less and apart from pain in the armpit (which is caused in some people) there is no other permanent illness.

Treatment:

The disease is severe for 4 to 10 days. In this period proper treatment should be given to the patient. It is necessary to maintain the balance of salts in the body and give liquid diet, and avoid things causing pus formation. For this use of Rasmanikya, tal sindoor, kayakalp vati, kaishore guggul, arogya vardhini, praval pishti and other medicines are advisable. In case of mouth ulcers, apply the Suhaga with honey. Take 500 mg to 750 mg of Kamdudha rasa twice daily with sugar. Apply Sourashtri Darvi jal or honey water and Jatyadi tail or Iremedadi tail. The watery shingles should be dry and should be protected from pus formation. Dusting powder can be sprinkled on these. The Herpes patient should have a clean stomach. For this udarkalp churna, panchsakar ehurna, madhuyashtyadi churna, taruni kusumakar churna (4 to 5 gm) should be taken at bedtime with hot water or milk. Nishadi jal should be poured in the eye to protect them from disease.

Nishadi Jal:

Turmeric 3 parts
Darvi 3 parts
Loghra 3 parts
Yashad pushpa 1.5 parts
Gulabjal 120 parts

After bowel movement, the herpes should be treated as per the illness. Generally treatment curing vata, pitta is advisable.

It is beneficial to give Dwipanchamooladi quath of yoga ratnakar (dashmool, rasna, daru haldi, ushir, dhamasa, dhaniya, giloy, nagarmotha). Give two to four doses of Gudachyadi quath (giloy, padmakashtha, neem chaal, red sandal, coriander) give one to two doses of pittashamal tikta ghruta or triphaladi churna with unequal parts of ghee and honey thrice daily. As soon as the shingles erupt in the armpit, a copper coin should be tied or dashang lep should be applied to subside the shingles. Sandal and camphor should be applied in order to reduce the burning sensation. Shatghout tail is also good for reducing the burning sensation. Take the roots of oondha hooli and Shahtoot leaves, heat them and apply or take equal quantities of soap, small pipal, pieces of lac bangles, grind them in water and apply the lep to subside the shingles. Do not give opium combinations to reduce the burning sensation. If the pain is unbearable or if it persists even after the treatment then the following medicines are beneficial:

Ekangavir rasa 5 gm
Vatakulantak 3 gm or Vrihat vatachintamani 1 gm
Praval panchamrut 5 mg
Moti pishti 5 gm
Amruta satva 10 gm
Divya kayakalp vati 20 gm
(make 60 pouches and give twice daily with honey or fresh water)

saptavishanti arogyavardhini
(twice daily with lukewarm water after meals)

According to me this is a sure shot medicine, use it for benefits.

Diet:

Grains – old barley, wheat, shali rice, kidney beans, lentil, arhar, gram soup Vegetables – bitter gourd, sespedula, gourd
Fruits – pomegranate, grapes, avala Milk-cow milk, fresh ghee, butter Dry fruits – raisins, fig Eat juicy items or blood purifying items.

Regimen:

Heavy food, food with opposite nature, horse bean, sesame, acidic, hot and items containing bitter taste, salt, green leafy vegetables, garlic, garam masala, curd, paneer, kanji, vinegar, alcohol, khoya, cottage cheese etc.