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What Is Postherpetic Neuralgia?

Postherpetic neuralgia is basically a complication that can arise from having shingles. If you were to suffer from shingles, a viral infection closely related to the chicken pox, you may develop an inflammation within the nerves of the skin that can cause a moderate to severe pain, often occurring even after the shingles have been "cured."

  1. Shingles

    • When you develop shingles, a virus ultimately runs through the nerves and manifests as a fairly painful rash on the skin that looks to be a cluster or even ring of blisters. Typically, you'll find this infection taking place on half your chest and wrapping around to the middle of your back. Once the virus has moved through the nerves into the skin, these nerve fibers may become irritated and inflamed, leading to postherpetic neuralgia.

    Postherpetic Neuralgia

    • Postherpetic neuralgia doesn't always occur after a case of shingles, but the potential is always there. After the nerve fibers have become irritated and inflamed from the virus, you may begin to suffer from a sometimes debilitating case of postherpetic neuralgia. This condition often prompts the skin to become so sensitive that it remains painful and tender to the touch for months after the infection is gone. No matter what level of pain you are experiencing, it is always best to consult with a doctor about your particular condition.

    Symptoms

    • The most common and significant symptom of postherpetic neuralgia involves some level of pain. It may be sharp and aching or deep and burning, but it will generally always come with this medical condition. You may also notice a change in the affect area of skin's sensitivity to touch, sometimes feeling pain from a simple brush up against some individual or object. You can even become fairly sensitive to changes in temperature, experiencing a certain amount of discomfort from both hot and cold. It is also not uncommon to feel an itchiness or even numbness in the affected areas, and some people even begin to suffer from periodic headaches from the heightened sensitivity.

    Treatments

    • A number of treatment options are available, most of which are based on the type of pain and discomfort being experienced. Typically, a doctor starts by prescribing pain relief medicaitons, including anticonvulsants, painkillers, steroids and antidepressants. Nerve stimulation or a transdermal treatment of the pain may be added.

    Considerations

    • The only real way to prevent a case of postherpetic neuralgia is to prevent the actual infection of shingles. This can be done with a shingles vaccine or a chickenpox vaccine. Your doctor will be able to recommend the type of vaccination best suited for you. Vaccinations are a form of preventative medicine and should not be used in anyone currently suffering from shingles.

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