Shingles

Is an infection caused by the virus that causes chicken pox. Following a case of chicken pox, the virus remains inactive in the nervous system for many years.

Later in life, the virus can reactivate as shingles, medically know as herpes zoster. The virus travels along the nerves to the skin, where it may cause blisters and a painful rash. The rash usually heals within a month. Unfortunately, for many people, that’s just the beginning.

Shingles may cause nerve damage that results in pain long after the shingles are gone, which can be more painful than shingles itself. Not everyone who had chicken pox will get shingles, and not everyone who gets shingles will develop Post-Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN). However, the older you are, the greater your risk of developing PHN. Among people who get shingles after the age of 60, about half will develop PHN. PHN can occur at any time of year, and affects men and women equally.

The Shingles are gone but the pain lingers on

People who have PHN say the pain can be excruciating, and feels like under the skin, electric shocks, or sharp, stabbing needles. It may include itching and numbness where shingles blisters have healed and occasionally, muscle weakness and loss of muscle tone.

PHN is localized pain that most often affects the skin over the torso, especially the chest or back, the upper arms, or one side of the face, but it can also affect the skin in other areas, such as the shoulders, neck, or legs. It may last months, often years. In some cases, the skin may become extremely sensitive to touch or temperature. The feeling of clothing against the skin, the lightest breeze, or a slight change in temperature can cause severe pain.

The sharp localized pain is caused by damaged to the nerves immediately under the skin. There are medications to relieve this symptom. Your physician will help if these symptoms exist.