Definition:
Postherpetic neuralgia, said to be a complication of shingles and outbreak for the second time of the varicella-zoster virus, is a medical condition characterized by pain which usually produces rashes and blisters in the nerve fibers of the skin. It is said to be the remains of for example a chicken pox which are reactivated several years later after the healing of the chickenpox.
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis includes review of medical history of the patient and physical examination as well as close observation of the symptoms as they manifest in the skin of the patient.
Treatment:
Treatment for Postherpetic neuralgia includes administration of antidepressant inasmuch as it affects the chemicals in the brain; use of Lidocaine Skin Patches and oral administration of drugs that stop the reuptake of nrepinephrine and serotonin; medications to alleviate pain may also be used. In some cases Spinal Cord or Peripheral nerve stimulation are also used to treat the Postherpetic neuralgia.
Symptoms and Signs:
Symptoms includes pain and burning sensation in the skin, sensitivity to touch and temperature, numbness, headache and itchiness of the skin.
Causes:
Postherpetic neuralgia is said to be caused by the damaged that occurs during the outbreak of the shingles or the chicken pox.
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