When Pain Persists After Shingles

When pain persists after shingles it can be a painful and difficult experience. After a person has shingles they may develop postherpetic neuralgia, which is also known as PHN. When a person has Shingles, they develop a painful, itching and burning rash. The skin usually appears red, with blisters and small bumps. Their skin can become tender to even the slightest touch from nerve damage done by the virus that causes shingles, which happens to be the same herpes virus that causes Chickenpox. 

Shingles and Pain

After the Shingles rash heals, some people continue to have excruciating pain in the area where the rash was. This pain may continue for weeks or months. The pain can be so intense that wearing clothes or even a gentle breeze on the skin causes pain. People often feel as if their skin is on fire and describe the pain as a burning or searing. Others say it feels as if their nerves are raw and always irritated. This after shingles pain is known as PostHerpetic Neuralgia or PHN, because the herpes virus damages the nerves.

Difficult to function

Most people with PHN have difficulty functioning in their day-to-day lives. Their pain is constant and can make it difficult to leave the house or get anything done. In the past, many people and providers resorted to trying to tough it out or using pain medications with side effects that left them sleepy and unable to function.

Difficult to discuss

Others don’t think that there’s anything they can do and so never mention it to their providers. Sometimes providers aren’t familiar with the newer treatment options which leaves their patients suffering for weeks or months before getting more appropriate treatment

Prevention is key

Approximately 1 in 3 people will develop Shingles at some point in their life. While there is a vaccine available, only about 10% of people who could benefit from the vaccine have received it. When a person has shingles, it’s important that they receive an anti-viral medication such as valacyclovir or famciclovir as soon as possible, to help the rash resolve quickly and to prevent PHN.

What leads to PHN?

Approximately 150,000 people do develop PHN each year and while we don’t know exactly why some people with Shingles develop PHN and others don’t, there are some risk factors:

• Women are more likely to be affected than men
• Having a fever with the shingles outbreak
• Experiencing a larger rash

 Treatment Options

Living with the pain of PHN is no longer something a person just has to endure. We understand the pain better and have new treatment options. Pain specialists and primary care providers are becoming more aware of the toll that PHN takes in people’s lives and are recommending new and effective treatments with fewer side effects so that people can get back to their lives.

Pain Relief

There are options for treating PHN that include:

Anticonvulsants– these medications that prevent seizures also seem to help the damaged nerves with PHN quiet down and be less irritated, reducing pain and the need for opiod pain medications

Antidepressants – these medications may also help the damaged nerves with PHN

Pain medications that contain opiods – while very effective, these can lead to people feeling sleepy all day

Numbing and anesthetic creams or patches – these work to numb the nerves

Capsiacin cream - though made from the seeds of chili peppers this cream can help calm the nerves.

Getting relief

Do talk to your primary care provider or pain specialist about the newer treatment options for PHN. You may be surprised that there are so many effective treatment options that can help you get back to your life. You can get more information atWhatIsPHN.com

Disclosure: After seeing family members and patients suffer with PHN, I’ve been working with Depomed pharmaceuticals to help raise awareness of newer treatments.