Peer-Reviewed Journal Comment on Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

  Peer-Reviewed Journal Comment   Student Name Instructor Name Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Due Date
Peer-Reviewed Journal Comment Healthcare providers routinely interact with a significant proportion of adults suffering from shingles or herpes zoster in their work settings. The disease frequency is often higher among individuals over 40 years because trends demonstrate that the condition exploits their declining immunity and diminishing capability to combat viral infections. However, since herpes zoster is a severe condition that can quickly worsen if untreated, managing the diverse signs and symptoms of the disease demands a combination of anti-viral medicines with naturopathic ones. The primary goal is to treat the symptoms early before they progress to postherpetic neuralgia characterized by constant burning and stabbing pain for over three months, significantly diminishing one’s quality of life. The complexity of this disease and difficulties in its management demands healthcare providers to apply appropriate treatment measures recommendable for patients as early as possible.             Herpes zoster is a severe condition that requires appropriate treatment modalities for quality outcomes. The article by Ferreira and Langland (2021, p. e0058) progressively demonstrates the seriousness of this condition while illustrating the various signs and symptoms associated with the disease. For instance, it indicates that the disease-causing virus, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), can theoretically trigger an infection in 99.5% of the U.S. population (Ferreira & Langland, 2021, p. e0058). Its symptoms, such as pain, severe burning, and itchiness, can last up to 30 days during the treatment, illustrating the condition’s severity. The concerning aspect is that they can worsen lengthening symptoms’ duration by two or more months. As a result, the authors underscore the importance of recommending the most efficient treatment and management options to improve care. In this context, Ferreira and Langland (2021, p. e0059) highlight some of the combinations that primary healthcare providers exploit to improve success in the treatment of VZV alleviate the concerning discomfort it induces in a patient.             This article explores the different treatment options for Herpes zoster. It indicates that some herbs have been demonstrated to be putatively efficacious in combating the VZV virus. They include Glycyrrhiza glabra and Hypericum perforatum, among many others, tested and proven to possess anti-viral properties (Ferreira & Langland, 2021, p. e0059). Interestingly, these herbs also present other favorable actions that underscore their applicability in managing infections associated with herpes zoster. For instance, some have snit-inflammatory properties, others such as Sarracenia purpurea have...