Postherpetic neuralgia is a painful condition affecting your nerve fibers and skin. Postherpetic neuralgia is a complication of shingles, a second outbreak of the varicella-zoster virus, which initially causes chickenpox.

During an initial infection of chickenpox, some of the virus remains in your body, lying dormant inside nerve cells. Years later, the virus may reactivate, causing shingles.

Once reactivated, the virus travels along nerve fibers, causing pain. When the virus reaches your skin, it produces a rash and blisters. A case of shingles (herpes zoster) usually heals within a month. But some people continue to feel pain long after the rash and blisters heal — a pain called postherpetic neuralgia. A variety of treatments for postherpetic neuralgia exist, although you may not experience complete relief from pain.

In Chinese medicine, postherpetic neuralgia is belongs to hypochondriac pain. It is due to liver Chi stagnation and Chi deficiency resulting from the virus attach. Chinese medicine and acupuncture work well this after-shingle pain. They can bring the pain under control fast and it could be long lasting. Even though once you have shingles, you will always have the virus in your body and they may reactive once in a while. But with Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture treatment, your immune system will be enhanced and the virus will not as reactive as often. You may have much less frequently attack of pain or you may not have pain for months or years after treatment. If you have postherpetic neuralgia, we strongly recommend you to call us to schedule a consultation.