Drug & supplement interaction

Shiatsu + Valacyclovir

Valacyclovir brand name: Valtrex.

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Shiatsu and Valacyclovir in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Shiatsu and Valacyclovir

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Valacyclovir and Shiatsu in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — research on Shiatsu alongside specific medications may be limited.

Worth understanding: our licensed dataset holds no drug-interaction record for Shiatsu at all — not against Valacyclovir, and not against any other medication we track. This verdict therefore rests on the absence of any recorded data, not on research that looked at this combination and found nothing. We cannot rule an interaction out.

Shiatsu is a treatment rather than something you take. Tell whoever provides it which medicines you use, and ask your prescriber whether it is appropriate for your health and treatment. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Shiatsu safety at a glance

Shiatsu overall Use caution Generally low-risk when performed by a trained practitioner, but not suitable for everyone.
Pregnancy Possibly Safe When used appropriately. Shiatsu massage has been safely received by those who are pregnant without reports of serious adverse effects. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Possibly Safe When used appropriately. Shiatsu massage has been safely received by those who are pregnant without reports of serious adverse effects. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Valacyclovir and Shiatsu? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Shiatsu and Valacyclovir May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so having Shiatsu while taking the medicine can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. One of them is worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Unsteadiness Worth acting on Additional detail

    Shiatsu

    “In one report, a 56-year-old Japanese woman developed neck pain, dizziness, dysphagia, and gait disturbance during shiatsu treatment. Diagnostic tests showed right vertebral artery stenosis and cerebellar infarction likely related to shiatsu treatment. In other case reports, shiatsu massage of the neck resulted in cerebral artery embolism and a jugular vein thrombosis.”

    Shiatsu · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pain.

    3 sources cited
    1. 15784. Iwanami H, Odaka M, Hirata K. [Bilateral cerebellar infarction caused by intracranial dissection of the vertebral artery after long periods of "Shiatsu"] . Brain Nerve 2007;59:169-71.
    2. 95463. Wada Y, Yanagihara C, Nishimura Y. Internal jugular vein thrombosis associated with shiatsu massage of the neck. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2005;76(1):142-3. PubMed
    3. 100343. Tsuboi K, Tsuboi K. Retinal and cerebral artery embolism after "shiatsu" on the neck. Stroke 2001;32(10):2441. DOI

    Valacyclovir

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Valacyclovir. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Dizziness Additional detail

    Shiatsu

    Recorded for Shiatsu in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Unsteadiness above.

    Valacyclovir

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Valacyclovir. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Reported for Shiatsu but not commonly for Valacyclovir: blood clots and trouble swallowing.

Effects for Valacyclovir come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Shiatsu come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

Special populations

Shiatsu in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Possibly Safe

When used appropriately. Shiatsu massage has been safely received by those who are pregnant without reports of serious adverse effects.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

From our Q&A

Questions About Shiatsu or Valacyclovir

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Shiatsu or Valacyclovir, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Valacyclovir

This page covers Shiatsu only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Valacyclovir page lists 27 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), African Wild Potato (moderate), Banderol (moderate), Biofeedback (moderate) and Caffeic Acid (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 17 moderate · 9 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Valacyclovir page

“Valacyclovir (Valtrex) works against herpes outbreaks only if enough of it gets absorbed into your blood, and most of this list threatens exactly that. Of the 27 supplements on file, 17 can change how well oral medicines like this one are absorbed, and the single major-rated entry, activated charcoal, binds drugs in the gut outright.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Valacyclovir interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Shiatsu and Valacyclovir Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Shiatsu
Steady interest

#948 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Valacyclovir
Top 5%

#30 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Shiatsu reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Shiatsu and Valacyclovir records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Treatment approach

About Shiatsu

What is Shiatsu?

  • Stress and relaxation
  • Muscle tension and stiffness
  • Low back and neck pain
  • Headaches
  • General well-being
  • Sleep problems

Shiatsu is a Japanese form of massage and bodywork, not a herb or dietary supplement, so it is not something you swallow. Many people find it relaxing and helpful for stress and muscle tension, but high-quality research on its health benefits is limited. It is generally low-risk for most people when done by a trained practitioner, but talk with your doctor first if you have a medical condition.

Not applicable — Shiatsu is a hands-on therapy, not a plant or supplement · In-person bodywork sessions performed by a trained practitioner

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Shiatsu is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Shiatsu record says about it on its own.

Shiatsu: dosing

Because Shiatsu is a hands-on therapy and not something you swallow, there is no dose in milligrams or pills. Sessions usually last around 30 to 60 minutes, and how often people go varies widely based on their goals and comfort.There is no standard "prescription" for how many sessions are needed. If you want to try Shiatsu, choose a qualified practitioner, start slowly, and discuss your health history with them.

From our Shiatsu monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Shiatsu monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Valacyclovir

What Is Valacyclovir Used For?

Brand name: Valtrex

Valacyclovir tablets are used in adults to treat cold sores (herpes labialis), genital herpes (initial and recurrent episodes), and shingles (herpes zoster). They can also be taken daily as suppressive therapy to reduce how often genital herpes outbreaks occur, and to lower the risk of passing genital herpes to a partner.

In children and adolescents, valacyclovir tablets are used to treat cold sores in those aged 12 and older, and chickenpox in those aged 2 to under 18. Valacyclovir has not been established as safe and effective for most uses in immunocompromised patients, with the exception of suppressive therapy for genital herpes in HIV-infected adults.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Valacyclovir

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (70,056 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 4,317 reports
Nausea 3,985 reports
Diarrhea 3,648 reports
Headache 2,964 reports
Fever 2,753 reports
See full Valacyclovir drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Shiatsu

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Shiatsu — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,829No known interaction
2,829 No interaction
No interaction 2,829 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Shiatsu against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,829 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Shiatsu list.

See the full Shiatsu interactions page
See every supplement checked against Valacyclovir, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Shiatsu References

The 16 references that drive our Shiatsu monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Iwanami H, Odaka M, Hirata K. [Bilateral cerebellar infarction caused by intracranial dissection of the vertebral artery after long periods of "Shiatsu"] . Brain Nerve 2007;59:169-71.
  2. Saito, H. Preventing and resolving post-laparotomy intestinal obstruction: an effective shiatsu method. Am J Chin Med 2000;28(1):141-145. PubMed
  3. Ingram, J., Domagala, C., and Yates, S. The effects of shiatsu on post-term pregnancy. Complement Ther Med 2005;13(1):11-15. PubMed
  4. Brady, L. H., Henry, K., Luth, J. F. 2nd, and Casper-Bruett, K. K. The effects of shiatsu on lower back pain. J Holist Nurs 2001;19(1):57-70. PubMed
  5. Cheesman, S., Christian, R., and Cresswell, J. Exploring the value of shiatsu in palliative care day services. Int J Palliat Nurs 2001;7(5):234-239. PubMed
  6. Brown CA, Bostick G, Bellmore L, Kumanayaka D. Hand self-Shiatsu for sleep problems in persons with chronic pain: a pilot study. J Integr Med 2014;12(2):94-101. PubMed
  7. Herskovitz S, Strauch B, Gordon MJ. Shiatsu massage-induced injury of the median recurrent motor branch. Muscle Nerve 1992;15(10):1215.
  8. Lichtenberg P, Vass A, Ptaya H, Edelman S, Heresco-Levy U. Shiatsu as an adjuvant therapy for schizophrenia: an open-label pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med 2009;15(5):44-6.
  9. Mumm AH, Morens DM, Elm JL, Diwan AR. Zoster after shiatsu massage. Lancet 1993;341(8842):447. PubMed
  10. Teimoori B, Rajabi S, Navvabi-Rigi SD, Arbabisarjou A. Evaluation effect of shiatsu technique on labor induction in post-term pregnancy. Glob J Health Sci 2014;7(3):177-83. PubMed
  11. Wada Y, Yanagihara C, Nishimura Y. Internal jugular vein thrombosis associated with shiatsu massage of the neck. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2005;76(1):142-3. PubMed
  12. Yeh CC, Ko SC, Huh BK, et al. Shoulder tip pain after laparoscopic surgery analgesia by collateral meridian acupressure (shiatsu) therapy: a report of 2 cases. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008;31(6):484-8. PubMed
  13. Tsuboi K, Tsuboi K. Retinal and cerebral artery embolism after "shiatsu" on the neck. Stroke 2001;32(10):2441. DOI
  14. Lanza G, Centonze SS, Destro G, et al. Shiatsu as an adjuvant therapy for depression in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A pilot study. Complement Ther Med. 2018;38:74-78. PubMed
  15. Kobayashi D, Shimbo T, Hayashi H, Takahashi O. Shiatsu for chronic lower back pain: Randomized controlled study. Complement Ther Med 2019;45:33-37. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Having Shiatsu While Taking Valacyclovir: Common Questions

Is it safe to have Shiatsu while taking Valacyclovir?
We do not list a known interaction between Shiatsu and Valacyclovir. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Shiatsu and Valacyclovir have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 2 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
Does Valacyclovir interact with any supplements?
Yes. Valacyclovir has documented interactions with 27 supplements in our database — Shiatsu is not one of them. The Valacyclovir interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Shiatsu monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Valacyclovir drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Valacyclovir supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Valacyclovir, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 16 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Valacyclovir and Shiatsu?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.