Postherpetic neuralgia is a painful disorder that primarily affects the skin and nerves. It arises as a complication of shingles, also known as herpes zoster caused by the chickenpox virus.
Even after the rashes and blisters from the shingles disappear, there remains a deep burning pain. While there are medical options for treating postherpetic neuralgia, there is also minimally invasive spine surgery San Antonio and spinal cord stimulation.
A study by The American Academy of Family Physicians states that people over 60 years are more likely to get postherpetic neuralgia. In addition, about a fifth of patients with shingles usually develop postherpetic neuralgia.
Symptoms of Postherpetic neuralgia That May need Spine Surgery San Antonio
Note that the symptoms and signs of postherpetic neuralgia are typically limited to the skin parts where the outbreak of shingles first manifested. The most common body area is usually around the torso. Let’s look at the symptoms.
- Serious pain that can last up to three months or even longer in the same location that the shingles erupted. This happens even after the shingles have healed. Most postherpetic neuralgia patients have described this severe pain as sharp, burning, jabbing, deep, or aching.
- Postherpetic neuralgia can occur in a steady aching way or in a sudden, periodic/occasional and stabbing manner.
- The skin on the areas affected by the shingles becomes extremely sensitive to touch. Even the light touch of clothing on the skin becomes unbearably painful.
- This burning sensation on the skin, even from the lightest of touch or pressure, is known as allodynia, and it is when a person feels pain from non-painful stimuli.
- Numbness and tingling are other symptoms, although this is less common.
Risk Factors Associated with Post Herpetic Neuralgia
- Older people are highly susceptible to both postherpetic neuralgia and shingles. While people above 60 years are at high risk, it is the above-70’s who have a higher possibility of getting these conditions.
- Besides, the patients who experience severe pain and lots of rashes when hit by shingles are at a higher risk of getting postherpetic neuralgia.
- Also, patients with decreased immunity caused by conditions such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma and HIV are more likely to develop postherpetic neuralgia.
Remember, while there are medical alternatives for patients with postherpetic neuralgia, there is minimally invasive spine surgery San Antonio at your disposal to deal with the pain.
