Post herpetic neuralgia is a disease which occurs due to herpes virus infection.
When you get Chicken pox disease in the childhood, that virus stays in a dormant stage in the body. As we grow up, and if there is decrease in immunity at any point, then this virus flares up in form of herpes zoster (also called as Shingles)
SYMPTOMS
Skin lesions, severe burning pain and itching.
Lesion are on one side of the body only.
Most common area involved is thorax ( chest and back), followed by face and neck or legs
If the pain persists beyond skin lesions have healed well, then it is called post herpetic neuralgia.
RISK FACTORS
1. Age >50 years
2. Patients with decreased immunity like elderly, being on chemotherapy, uncontrolled chronic disease like Diabetes.
3. Chicken-pox disease in childhood.
4. Burning sensation and pain if precedes the skin lesion.
DIAGNOSIS
Its diagnosis does not require any special test. Only history and physical examination is good enough as herpes has very peculiar lesions which helps in prompt diagnosis .
TREATMENT
It is important to be on the right kind of medications as pain killers has no role in its management. Nerve medications and nerve vitamins are the one which are helpful in treating this pain.
The patients who do not get relief from medications then pain physician do a procedure ( RFA of the involved nerves) which gives long term relief. After RFA treatment, patients usually get good relief. Usually in 5-6 months, the disease gets completely cured and medicines may be stopped then.
