What causes postherpetic neuralgia?

Postherpetic neuralgia is a nerve pain that occurs at the site of a previous attack of a condition called shingles. Neuralgia is a term that describes nerve pain.

Postherpetic neuralgia is nerve pain which continues 3-6 months after the shingles rash has healed.

Shingles is a condition caused by re-activation of the varicella-zoster virus, which lies dormant (inactive) in the nerves following a chickenpox infection. The virus becomes active in two or three nerve roots and causes a flu-like illness. In most cases, the rash and pain of shingles lasts two to four weeks.

The pain of postherpetic neuralgia may be intense and can take the form of:

# burning

# stabbing

# aching

# itching

# an ‘electric shock’

# hyper-sensitivity of the skin in the affected area (allodynia)

It is important to revisit your GP if you continue to have pain for more than two or three months after having shingles. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the greater the chance of relieving the pain of postherpetic neuralgia.

Postherpetic neuralgia is easy to diagnose because it only occurs as a complication of shingles, and the pain will be in the area of the body supplied by the affected nerves.

If you have had shingles, your GP can diagnose postherpetic neuralgia based on your symptoms and the length of time you have had them.

Who is affected?

Approximately 10-20% of people with shingles will go on to develop postherpetic neuralgia. The risk of developing postherpetic neuralgia increases with age. It is more common in people over 60 and affects one-third of people over 80.

Treating postherpetic neuralgia

Many people with postherpetic neuralgia make a full recovery within a year of developing the condition. But occasionally, the nerves do not heal completely and symptoms last for several years or permanently.

Treatments can ease the symptoms of postherpetic neuralgia, although they may not relieve the pain completely.

Most people respond to medication, such as tricyclic antidepressants, anti-epileptic or opioid pain medication, which can be prescribed to reduce the pain.

About 40-50% of people with postherpetic neuralgia do not completely respond to any form of treatment.

A vaccine is available for people over 50 to boost immunity and prevent reactivation of the virus. This has been shown to reduce considerably the likelihood of getting shingles for at least five years. It may need to be repeated for lasting immunity.

Living with long-term pain

Living with postherpetic neuralgia can be very difficult. Postherpetic neuralgia can interfere with your ability to carry out certain daily activities, such as dressing and bathing. You may also have problems sleeping and feel tired (mental or physical tiredness) which can lead to stress and anxiety.

Living with pain, particularly if it affects your quality of life, can also lead to depression (feelings of extreme sadness or despair that last for a long time).

Change Your Lifestyle To Minimize Herpes Outbreaks

Posted on September 13, 2012

Taking good care of yourself is a big step to reducing herpes outbreaks.  If you have tried more than one treatment for herpes and still experience regular outbreaks you may need to assess all areas of your life to determine where your health might be affected.  For example, have you been under an unusual amount of stress or anxiety?  Are you getting adequate sleep?  Have you been affected by another health issue, such as flu, painful or irregular menstruation, menopause, or another illness?  Are you on a medication that may have unforseen side-effects?  All of these things can have an effect on herpes, and if you do have other health issues you should address them. 

Over the years we have noticed that the following medications may potentially aggravate herpes symptoms :

# Steroid based medications, including cortisone and hydrocortisone

# Depo provera birth control shot

# Fluticasone nasal spray

# Nasonex nasal spray

# Flu shot or vaccinations, in rare cases

# Any medication which could compromise or weaken the immune system

# Protein shakes (not technically a medication, but worth mentioning)

Do not underestimate the effect of stress on the body.  Stress can be a big contributor to outbreaks and anything that may relieve this pressure can be helpful, such as deep breathing, taking a vitamin b group supplement, herbal teas, reducing caffeine, meditation and yoga.  Sometimes stress and late nights are unavoidable.

Change Your Lifestyle To Minimize Herpes Outbreaks

Posted on September 13, 2012
Taking good care of yourself is a big step to reducing herpes outbreaks.  If you have tried more than one treatment for herpes and still experience regular outbreaks you may need to assess all areas of your life to determine where your health might be affected.  For example, have you been under an unusual amount of stress or anxiety?  Are you getting adequate sleep?  Have you been affected by another health issue, such as flu, painful or irregular menstruation, menopause, or another illness?  Are you on a medication that may have unforseen side-effects?  All of these things can have an effect on herpes, and if you do have other health issues you should address them.
 

Over the years we have noticed that the following medications may potentially aggravate herpes symptoms:
# Steroid based medications, including cortisone and hydrocortisone
# Depo provera birth control shot
# Fluticasone nasal spray
# Nasonex nasal spray
# Flu shot or vaccinations, in rare cases
# Any medication which could compromise or weaken the immune system
# Protein shakes (not technically a medication, but worth mentioning)
 

Do not underestimate the effect of stress on the body.  Stress can be a big contributor to outbreaks and anything that may relieve this pressure can be helpful, such as deep breathing, taking a vitamin b group supplement, herbal teas, reducing caffeine, meditation and yoga.  Sometimes stress and late nights are unavoidable.
 

If you know something is affecting your health and you are having trouble putting a stop to it, one approach that may help is to take a small daily dose of Panax ginseng or a B vitamin complex.  Ginseng is a powerful herb which can help to rejuvenate the body from stress and sleep deprivation.  It can also help your body recover from a previous or recent illness, as well as counteract the effects of toxins, such as alcohol and recreational drugs. 

You may want to consider taking a B vitamin complex, or Panax Ginseng, if you:
# Have suffered from an illness, either now or in the past which may have had a profound effect on the body
# Are under a lot of stress or pressure
# Drink too much alcohol, smoke cigarettes or take other toxins regularly
# Do not get enough good quality sleep
# Regularly work your body to the point of exhaustion
 

Pay attention to your diet!  Research has found that certain foods can trigger an outbreak for some people because of the high concentration of Arginine that they contain.  Some of these foods include nuts, chocolate, gelatin, brown rice and lentils.  Because this is an important factor, research the effects of Lysine which can be very helpful in reducing outbreaks.  Eating a lot of junk food and not enough fruit and vegetables can also affect your outbreaks.  It is a good idea to eat a healthy and nutritious diet to help keep outbreaks away.
Taking supplements is also a great strategy.  There are some herbs and nutrients that have been shown to help slow down viral replication and reduce herpes activity in clinical trials.  By incorporating these into your daily routine you could discover a safe and natural way to reduce your outbreaks and possibly the incidence of viral shedding too.  Once you know that a particular supplement for herpes agrees with you and your body, the recommendation is to stick with it for a certain period of time and take it consistently according to the label dose.  Most natural compounds require some time before they will work to their full potential and may not be able to prevent an outbreak if you only take the supplement occasionally.
There are a handful of products available that are well-rounded supplements and act as a solid treatment for herpes when used regularly.  However, do your own research online and figure out what will work best with your lifestyle.

How To Minimize All Herpes Outbreaks

Genital herpes outbreaks usually happen within 7 to 10 days causing intense itching, burning blisters, and sores.  To help reduce the occurrence of genital herpes outbreaks, become aware of all herpes symptoms, try using a number of these following natural solutions and also research oral herpes treatments.  Taking these alternative treatments does not mean avoiding necessary or current medication.  Try these treatments along with the medication.

To effectively reduce genital herpes outbreaks take Lysine but be sure to follow the amount of recommended usage.  Take 500 mg capsules of Lysine four times a day during the first three days of the outbreak.  For the next four days, take 500 mg three times a day, then 500 mgs once a day for two weeks, and then take 500 mg three times a week for two weeks.  The amino acid in lysine helps to control the symptoms of genital herpes.  Lysine works best if you take it everyday and before and after an outbreak.

Avoid arginine, which promotes the herpes virus and its outbreaks and symptoms.  Before and during an outbreak avoid taking any foods rich in arginine, such as whole-wheat, products, brown rice, oatmeal, chocolate, corn, dairy, raisins, nuts, and seeds.  To help eliminate the outbreak of sores, try using some olive leaf extract, which works great to reduce and even prevent outbreaks if taken daily.

A Brief History Of Herpes

Infections of the herpes virus have been prevalent as early as ancient Greek times.  Hippocrates is known to have described the cutaneous spreading of herpes simplex lesions and scholars of Greek civilization define the greek word “herpes” to mean “to creep or crawl” in reference the spreading nature of the herpetic skin lesions.  In one of the most famous of all Shakespeare’s writings Queen Mab says “O’er ladies lips, who straight on kisses dream, which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are.”  That from Romeo and Juliet.  Nonetheless, it was not until 1893 when Vidal recognized that human transmission of herpes simplex infection from one individual to another.

Gain More Knowledge in Genital Herpes Information

What most refer to as herpes is actually family of socially transmitted diseases caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1 cold sores) and type 2 (HSV-2 genital herpes). Other types of the virus are commonly known as shingles and the Epstein-Barr virus. Most people who carry the virus have no or only minimal signs of an infection. Because of this, many people are unaware that they have the virus. Telling signs of an infection include one or more blisters on the face or genitals that break and leave small ulcers that may take 2 to 4 weeks to heal initially. The blisters recur periodically over time, typically about 5 times per year. The frequency of outbreaks usually reduces over time.

For most healthy people it is harmless. Rare severe cases of HSV-1 on the head or face may lead to serious conditions. Extra precautions for pregnant women at the time of delivery are needed to prevent genital herpes transmission to the baby which can sometimes be fatal to infants.

The disease is very common. In the US about 20% of adults are have the infection. Because the symptoms can often be mild, most people do not know they have the disease or mistake it for other causes like insect bites. About 1 million new cases are reported every year. Millions more likely go unreported.

Genital Herpes Nomore

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) or type 2 (HSV-2). Most genital herpes is caused by HSV-2. HSV-1 can cause genital herpes. But it more commonly causes infections of the mouth and lips, called “fever blisters.”

Most people have no or few symptoms from herpes infection. When symptoms do occur, they usually appear as 1 or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender sores that may take up to 4 weeks to heal. Another outbreak can appear weeks or months later. But it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.
Although the infection can stay in the body forever, the outbreaks tend to become less severe and occur less often over time. You can pass genital herpes to someone else even when you have no symptoms.

You can get genital herpes through genital-genital contact or genital-oral contact with someone who has herpes infection. The virus is most easily spread through contact with open sores. But you also can get the virus from skin that does not appear to have a sore. You can become infected with the herpes virus without having intercourse.