Post-Herpetic Neuralgia is a painful condition that affects nerves and skin. It’s a complication of herpes zoster, called ‘Shingles’. Shingles is a painful, blistering skin rash caused by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. This virus gets into our bodies in childhood or adolescence as chickenpox. The virus can remain dormant in the body’s nerve cells for long time and reactivate decades later. When the pain caused by shingles doesn’t go away after the rash and blisters clear up, the condition is called Post-Herpetic Neuralgia.
The main symptom of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia is intermittent or continuous nerve pain in an area of the skin previously affected by shingles. Common signs and symptoms of Post-Herpetic Neuralgia include:
Factors that increase the risk of developing Post-Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN) include:
Once anybody has chickenpox, the virus remains in the body for the rest of life. If the immune system is suppressed at any time later in life, such as from medications or chemotherapy, the virus may reactivate, causing shingles. Post-Herpetic Neuralgia occurs if the nerve fibers are severely damaged during an outbreak of shingles. Increasing age, excessive pain during the early stage of and throughout an episode of shingles may also increase the risk of the condition.