Analysis of the effects of pulsed microcurrent on pain, depression, and anxiety in patients with herpes zoster

Abstract

Background: Herpes zoster is a common viral skin infection and has a high incidence rate in China. At present, conventional drugs combined with adjuvant measures are used for treatment. To improve the efficiency and shorten the time of treatment, we propose the use of pulsed microcurrent as a new adjuvant therapy. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of pulsed microcurrent on pain, depression, and anxiety in patients with herpes zoster. Methods: A total of 58 patients with herpes zoster who were admitted to our hospital between April and August 2022 were selected as study participants and divided into two groups. The control group (n = 29) received conventional drug therapy, while the experimental group (n = 29) received pulsed microcurrent electrical therapy in combination with conventional drug therapy. Results: After 14 days of treatment, the scores from the visual analog scale, patient health questionnaire (PHQ) (i.e., PHQ-9), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) assessment (i.e., GAD-7) of the experimental group were reportedly significantly lower than those the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggested that pulsed microcurrent electrical therapy combined with conventional drug therapy could effectively alleviate the pain, depression, and anxiety symptoms in patients with herpes zoster, highlighting its potential to be widely used in clinical practice. Relevance for Patients: Patients suffering from herpes zoster may opt for pulsed microcurrent electrical therapy to effectively alleviate the pain, depression, and anxiety symptoms.