Physical Therapy Implications: A Case Study

Physical Therapy Implications: When treating a patient with HZ, it is important that physical therapist must observe the proper infectious disease policy. The CDC (2011) recommended that airborne precautions must be utilized for patients with a disseminated herpes zoster. Furthermore, placing the patient in an airborne infection isolation room, hand washing before and after touching the patient, using personal protective equipment such as fit-tested N-95 respirator mask, gloves, and gowns are an important safety measure to protect the health care provider from infection and the patient as well. A hospitalized patient with HZ including a complication of PHN suffers from debilitating pain. As a result, they feel weak, deconditioned and does not have the desire to perform any functionally related activity, not to
Barbarisi et al. (2010, p. 571) completed a research study investigating the effectiveness of a transcutaneous nerve stimulator (TENS) a non-pharmacologic analgesic method that stimulates the spinal endogenous opioids receptors, which in turn reduces neuropathic pain. The combination of TENS and Pregabalin (a pain medication approve for PHN) shows a 40% reduction of PHN pain. Therefore, the treatment approach for PHN pain is more efficient in a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to pain management, encouragement, and positive re-enforcement is needed to increase the patient’s activity participation and exercise tolerance. Furthermore, complementary alternative therapy as illustrated by Irwin, Olmstead, and Oxman (2007, p. 516), conducted a random controlled trial on the effectiveness of Tai Chi on cellular mediated immunity (CMI) to VZV and health performing in older adults. The study has two arms of research, the tai-chi group, and the health education group. The Tai-Chi group positively shown an increased in the CMI, increases the participants physical activity and decreases the sympathetic activity, therefore,