Post Herpetic Neuralgia

Were you looking for information about Postherpetic Neuralgia? Post herpetic neuralgia is an alternate spelling of postherpetic neuralgia.

Postherpetic neuralgia is a possible complication of a condition called shingles (which is a reinfection with the virus that causes chickenpox). A person who develops this complication experiences pain in the area of the shingles rash for months, or even years, after the rash has healed. This pain will vary from person, but some of the words used to describe the sensation include burning, excruciating, sharp, and throbbing.

This condition is more common in people over 50 years old or who have a weakened immune system. While there is no cure for postherpetic neuralgia, antiviral medicines, painkillers, antidepressants, and other medications may be able to reduce the duration and severity of this condition. Some of the antiviral medications used to treat this problem include acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir.

(Click Postherpetic Neuralgia to learn more about this condition. This article offers detailed information on the symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia and the drugs that are used to treat them. You can also click on any of the links in the box to the right for more specific information.)