Prevention and treatment of postherpetic neuralgia

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a neuropathic pain syndrome associated with the reactivation of varicella zoster virus (herpes zoster), which resides in latent form in sensory trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia after primary infection as varicella (chickenpox). Because of its severity and chronicity, PHN is a considerable health-care problem. 1 Fields HL Rowbotham M Baron R Postherpetic neuralgia: irritable nociceptors and deafferentation. Neurobiol Dis. 1998; 5: 209-227 Crossref PubMed Scopus (455) Google Scholar Therefore we desperately need more effective treatments and, even better, strategies to prevent this condition. The PINE study of epidural steroids and local anaesthetics to prevent postherpetic neuralgia: a randomised controlled trialA single epidural injection of steroids and local anaesthetics in the acute phase of herpes zoster has a modest effect in reducing zoster-associated pain for 1 month. This treatment is not effective for prevention of long-term postherpetic neuralgia. Full-Text PDF