Although steroids should not be administered until the pustular rash caused by shingles has gone away. Sometimes a corticosteroid medication is injected around the spinal cord. The CDC recommends other treatments besides opioids because the risk factors of dependency, and even death, are considerable. Side effects of opioids can include drowsiness, constipation, and confusion. If the pain is bad enough, some may be prescribed pain medications that contain tramadol (Conzip, Ultram), oxycodone (Percocet), or morphine. Side effects include foggy thinking, drowsiness, dizziness, and swelling in the feet.
These medications can stabilize erratic electrical activity in the nervous system caused by damaged nerves. Some anti-seizure medications like gabapentin (Neurontin, Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica) can decrease the pain of postherpetic neuralgia. Here are several ways to treat PHN: Medications Treating Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN)Īs if the pain from shingles wasn’t bad enough, many people also must endure the nerve pain that comes afterward. When the herpes-varicella zoster virus is reactivated in the form of shingles, scar tissue forms alongside nerves, creating pressure, and sending pain signals to the brain. Neuropathic pain is not caused by an external injury or stimuli but originates from inside the nervous system. It can feel like a stabbing or burning pain that radiates along the affected nerve. Neuralgia affects the nerves, causing structural and functional damage. Fortunately, the type of pain that arises from postherpetic neuralgia improves over time. Although there is no cure for PHN, there are several methods of pain management that can ease symptoms. People who develop PHN are generally age 60 and older. Those who have had chickenpox (herpes zoster virus) are at risk of developing shingles later in life. It is estimated that about 20% of patients will experience this type of nerve pain as a complication of shingles. Chronic pain that continues after a case of shingles is called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
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