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Postherpetic polyneuropathy
Postherpetic polyneuropathy
by Alike Medical Team ∙ Updated on June 13, 2023
Additional names
This group contains additional names: - Postherpetic neuralgia
General
Postherpetic neuralgia is a common complication of shingles. In this condition, people develop a burning pain sensation that lasts after the initial infection and its symptoms disappear. Herpes zoster is the virus that causes shingles disease. Postherpetic neuralgia can appear at any age but is more common in older people. Shingles develop in people who have had chickenpox. The herpes virus remains latent in the body and once the immune system is suppressed, the virus reactivates. Shingles vaccination is recommended for older people.
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Signs & symptoms
Symptoms of post herpetic neuralgia include severe pain, sensitivity to light touch, itching and numbness of the area of the skin where the shingles outbreak first occurred. It typically appears as a band around the trunk, on one side of the body.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on findings from physical examination with a recent shingles diagnosis.
Treatment
Treatment usually focuses on pain relievers, such as lidocaine skin patches, capsaicin skin patches, anticonvulsants like gabapentin and pregabalin, antidepressants such as duloxetine and venlafaxine , steroids injections, and opioid painkiller, which require monitoring.
Note
☝ We provide information on prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnosis, procedures and lab tests. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
National Institutes of Health ∙ World Health Organization ∙ MedlinePluse ∙ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
☝ All information has been reviewed by certified physicians from Alike
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