What is postherpetic neuralgia?
After the shingles rash resolves, pain may persist in the area where the rash was present. This is known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and it occurs in 8% to 70% of shingles cases . The duration of pain used to define PHN has been inconsistent, ranging from any duration after resolution of the rash to periods from >30 days to >6 months after rash onset. The pain of PHN can last for weeks or months but occasionally persists for many years. The frequency, duration, and severity of PHN increases with increasing age: It occurs rarely among persons under 40 years of age but occurs in up to 50% (and possibly more) of persons 60 years of age and older. The pain may be severe and debilitating, and it resolves over time in many patients.
