You may experience relentless burning, sharp or stabbing pain in the area where you had a shingles rash. Post herpetic neuralgia is the result of infection with the herpes zoster virus, which lays dormant in the spine and can be reactivated, usually in later life, as a result of infection, immunosuppression or other causes. The herpes zoster virus causes irritation and dysfunction of nerves leading to this most painful of conditions. Post herpetic neuralgia is not only very painful but can be very disruptive to your daily activities. The local painful area can also be extremely sensitive to slight touch or temperature changes making wearing clothing, showering and other simple activities unbearable.

Diagnosis of Post Herpetic Neuralgia

If you are continuing to feel pain after a shingles rash or lesions have healed, you may have post herpetic neuralgia. When you come to the London Pain Clinic you can expect:

• An assessment by one of our expert pain doctors
• A full medical history focussing on your pain
• A targeted clinical examination
• Any relevant blood tests and radiological investigations
• Our renowned expert second opinion service.

Treatment of Post Herpetic Neuralgia

At the London Pain Clinic we often treat patients who are partially treated, poorly treated or even misdiagnosed. Our expert pain doctors can offer you:

• A full explanation of post herpetic neuralgia
• An individual treatment plan
• The latest antineuropathic (anti-nerve pain) medication for post herpetic neuralgia
• Topical and oral antineuropathic medication
• Multimodal analgesic medication
• Opioid analgesic medication, where indicated
• Peripheral Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PENS) treatment
• Botulinum Toxin A (Botox) treatment
• Quetenza (high concentration Capsaicin) treatment
• Self help techniques
• Desensitisation exercises.

Post herpetic neuralgia should be treated as soon as symptoms appear. An expert diagnosis is the first place to start to plan an effective treatment programme. Dont let your pain remain untreated or poorly treated. To begin your recovery, please call us 020 7118 0250 or email the London Pain Clinic.