Post-herpetic neuralgia is:
Very painful; often lasts for months after shingles resolve.
- Quality of life deteriorates dramatically.
- It is not uncommon for people to suicide because of PHN.
usually does not respond to acyclovir-related drugs.
likely due to residual nerve damage from zoster outbreak.
No universally effective treatment for PHN at this point.
- most commonly treated with pain medications.
- Tricyclic antidepressants, topical lidocaine
- Topical application of aspirin dissolved in diethyl ether
(Eur J Clin Pharmacol, 1998, 54:231)