What is post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN)?
Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the name given to the pain that persists for one to three months, or even years, after the shingles rash has healed. The risk of developing PHN is directly related to the patient’s age when shingles appears. Patients whose shingles affects their forehead and eyes, a condition known as ophthalmic shingles, may also be at increased risk for PHN. The pain of PHN is the result of injury to the peripheral nerves. It may be sharp, piercing, throbbing or stabbing, and it may extend beyond the area of the original shingles eruption. The skin may be unusually sensitive to even the lightest touch (as from clothing), to the smallest breeze, and to changes in temperature (either hot or cold). The severity and duration of pain appears to increase with age. • How is PHN treated? PHN is treated by a variety of pain-relieving approaches: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, narcotic analgesics and specific medications for nerve injury-related pain, including certain m
