Postherpetic Neuralgia and Shingles

Background Of Postherpetic Neuralgia:

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a viral disorder, often manifesting as chickenpox. Human herpesvirus-3 (HHV-3) is also known as the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Following the acute phase, the virus reaches the sensory nerve system, which resides in the geniculate, trigeminal, or dorsal root ganglia for many years. The virus reactivates with age or immunocompromised individuals, resulting in an eruption (shingles). Discomfort can continue or reoccur even after the acute rash has faded in shingles-affected areas. Postherpetic neuralgia is the medical term for this ailment (PHN).

What Is Postherpetic Neuralgia, And How Does It Affect You?

The nerves and skin are affected by postherpetic neuralgia, which is a painful disorder. It's a side effect of herpes zoster, also known as shingles. Shingles is a distressing, blistering skin rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus reactivating.

Chickenpox is the most common way to catch this virus during childhood or adolescence. After childhood, the virus can remain dormant in the body's nerve cells and be reawaken decades later.

Postherpetic neuralgia is a disorder that occurs when the pain produced by shingles does not go away after the rash and blisters have healed. The most common shingles consequence is postherpetic neuralgia. It happens when shingles damage the nerves.

Because the injured nerves cannot transmit messages from the skin to the brain, the messages become jumbled. This causes continuous, excruciating pain that can last months. As per a 2021 study, roughly 20% of shingles patients also experience postherpetic neuralgia. Furthermore, those over 50 are more likely to have this illness