Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN)

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a debilitating chronic pain condition resulting from a shingles infection. It results from the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, which damages peripheral and central neurons. PHN is clinically defined as pain persisting for three months or longer after the shingles rash heals. This neuropathic pain is often described as a burning, stabbing, or shooting sensation. The condition severely impacts quality of life, frequently causing sleep disruptions, anxiety, and depression.

Postherpetic neuralgia is a much more serious condition compared to shingles. Here we are dealing with central and pheripheral nerve damage as opposed to a viral attack. We have treated cases in our clinic so severe that they had destroyed any semblance of quality of life. In that respect it is comparable to the worse cases of complex regional pain. Here again, neuro-acupuncture, by directly targeting the neuronal ‘switches’, can bring some miraculous results.