Postherpetic neuralgia is a condition that can cause intense pain in nerve fibers and the skin. It affects some patients after a case of shingles, which is a recurrence of a herpes-zoster infection (also known as chickenpox). Postherpetic neuralgia occurs when dormant copies of the herpes-zoster virus get activated (for unknown reasons), causing the virus to spread throughout the nerves. Typically, this causes a short-lived case of blisters and a rash, but in some people, the pain and symptoms last for years.
Step 1
Take painkillers. Your doctor may prescribe painkillers with oxycodone (such as Percocet or OxyContin) or the pain reliever tramadol. Although these medications are highly effective at relieving the pain of postherpetic neuralgia, they can also be addictive because they are narcotics.
Step 2
Use lidocaine skin patches. These skin patches, which are available only with a prescription, secrete lidocaine (an anesthetic) into the skin. Apply the patches directly to areas affected by postherpetic neuralgia to provide temporary relief.
Step 3
Receive corticosteroid injections. Injections of these immunosuppressant medications into the nerves coming out of the spinal cord can give powerful relief for patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia.
Step 4
Take antidepressants or anticonvulsants. Because postherpetic neuralgia affects the nervous system, these medications can provide pain relief. Tricyclic antidepressants (such as desipramine and duloxetine) can make the pain more tolerable. Anticonvulsants such as gabapentin and pregabalin can help stabilize the electrical activity in affected nerves.
Step 5
Have your nerves electrically stimulated. Stimulation of the affected nerves using electrodes that are either implanted under the skin or placed over the skin can provide relief for neuralgia pain, though the mechanism by which these devices work is not well understood.
Things You'll Need
- Painkillers
- Lidocaine patches
- Corticosteroids
- Antidepressants
- Anticonvulsants
