Is Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Right For You? Talk To Our Minimally Invasive Surgeons Today.

Skip to main content

Treating Postherpetic Neuralgia

TREATING POSTHERPETIC NEURALGIA

Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster, or shingles. It is typically defined as any pain that remains after herpes zoster lesions or rashes heal, commonly following a three-month period. Shingles (also known as herpes zoster) is a skin rash that can be extremely painful. It is a viral infection that affects both men and women and is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox (varicella zoster).

Shingles appear as a rash, patch or line of painful blisters which arise on the skin over a nerve in the shape of a band. This band follows the distribution of a specific nerve where the virus has been living before it spreads to the skin.

Chicken pox usually affects young children, and its symptoms involve itchy blisters all over the body. Once these symptoms go away, the varicella zoster virus stays in the nerves near the spine. It is almost as if the virus “goes to sleep.” It will “wake up,” however, when the body’s immune system is weakened. The virus then grows in the nerves, causing pain. When the virus reaches the skin, it causes the shingles rash.

The nerves affected by shingles can periodically continue to cause severe pain, even once the shingles have cleared. This acute phase lasts until the lesions are healed, often several weeks after the onset of the rash. Postherpetic neuralgia refers to pain that persists after the acute phase of the illness passes. The exact point at which acute herpes becomes postherpetic neuralgia is arbitrary. Some have proposed that PHN starts when the pain lasts more than three months after the acute lesions heal or persists for more than 3 to 6 months from the beginning of the skin eruptions.

Studies show that PHN accounts for 11 to 15 percent of all referrals to pain clinics. Below are several beneficial options for dealing with postherpetic neuralgia.

Treatment Options

At University Pain Medicine Center, we take great care in determining which treatment option is best for reducing and eliminating your pain.

Remember when you are speaking with your physician to include all of your symptoms, any major stresses, recent life changes and family medical history. This will aid in the promptest customization of your treatment plan. In most cases, no specific laboratory tests are required and it commonly takes a combination of treatments to reduce the pain. Feel free to ask questions during your doctor’s appointment and take a family member or friend along, when possible.

You Might Also Enjoy...

5 Common Signs of a Herniated Disc

5 Common Signs of a Herniated Disc

Back pain can be excruciating. But once you have an accurate diagnosis, treatment can begin. Take a moment to learn if a herniated disc might be the root cause of your pain.
What to Expect After Your Trigger Point Injections

What to Expect After Your Trigger Point Injections

If you’re dealing with pain in specific areas of your body, trigger point injections might be your answer. Here, we’ll look at what conditions can benefit from this treatment and what you can expect after.