What kind of pain does post herpetic neuralgia cause?
What kind of pain does post herpetic neuralgia cause?
Post herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic neuropathic pain in the region of the herpes zoster (HZ) rash, persisting after the cutaneous lesions have healed. Despite numerous treatment advances, many patients remain refractory to the current therapies and continue to have pain, physical and psychological distress.
Is there a cure for postherpetic neuralgia ( Phi )?
The mechanism of postherpetic neuralgia and PHI are not well understood and no single best treatment for postherpetic neuralgia and PHI is known. Clinical experience suggested that neuropathic itch may be more resistant to treatment than neuropathic pain. This immunocompromized patient with a severe …
How old do you have to be to have postherpetic neuralgia?
The signals can get mixed up, causing pain sensations that are unusual, or worse than expected. Age makes a difference: Postherpetic neuralgia happens to 60% of shingles patients over the age of 60, and to 75% of shingles patients over the age of 70.
How does chicken pox cause postherpetic neuralgia?
Once you’ve had chickenpox, the virus remains in your body for the rest of your life. As you age or if your immune system is suppressed, such as from medications or chemotherapy, the virus can reactivate, causing shingles. Postherpetic neuralgia occurs if your nerve fibers are damaged during an outbreak of shingles.
What is the best treatment for postherpetic neuralgia?
There are a number of effective postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) treatments your doctor can prescribe. The most successful treatments are anti-seizure medications, antiviral agents, antidepressants, and opioid pain relievers. Patches containing lidocaine, or other pain relievers, are also very effective.
What is the prognosis for postherpetic neuralgia?
Good prognosis can be observed in most of the individuals suffering from postherpetic neuralgia. However, pain medicines may need to be taken for more than 1 to 3 months on a consistent basis. But, some patients have a poor prognosis, suffering from serious pain for a longer period that may last over 3 months to more than a year.
What are the symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia?
Common signs and symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia include: severe pain that continues for more than one to three months in the same place that the shingles occurred, even after the rash goes away. burning sensation on the skin, even from the slightest pressure. sensitivity to touch or temperature changes.
How to manage the pain of postherpetic neuralgia?
Most people with postherpetic neuralgia use medication to control their symptoms. But there are other ways to control the pain, too. They include: TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation): You use a device that shoots tiny electrical currents into the area of pain on the skin. This helps block the pain.