conditions

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postherpetic neuralgia and shingles

Herpes Zoster (shingles) is a virus that affects nearly 800,000 people annually in the United States alone. Once the sores are gone, usually after 8 to 10 weeks, nearly half of shingles sufferers experience the lingering discomfort of postherpetic neuralgia1. The pain and nerve inflammation of postherpetic neuralgia can last from months to years2.

Clinical studies on Famvir (famciclovir) have suggested that 44% of those who endure shingles will go on to experience postherpetic neuralgia1. For those who received treatment with Famvir within 72 hours of shingles onset, the median time of the PHN was 63 days. Those who received no treatment had a median duration of PHN of 119 days. Unfortunately, there are some cases of PHN that can continue for years1.

The standard of medical care for PHN is pain relievers3, 4, 5. Recommended pain relievers can be taken orally, such as Darvoset, or can be applied in time-release patches directly to the painful area, such as a lidocaine patch (Lidoderm)6. Long-term use of painkillers has been found to be physiologically problematic from a number of perspectives. Alleviating the pain and discomfort associated with PHN has presented clinicians with a difficult task. This difficulty is evident in the wide range of drugs prescribed, which includes, but is not limited to, anti-virals, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, local anesthetics, opiates, and nerve blocks2. Since the lesions are usually healed within 10 weeks and the PHN can last from months to years, the majority of suffering occurs in the PHN stage of the condition1. A product that could sooth the neural inflammation and reduce suffering during the prolonged period of PHN would be a tremendous benefit to sufferers of Herpes Zoster.

Reference

  1. Dworkin, R., Boon, R., Griffin, D., Phung, D. (1998). Postherpetic Neuralgia: Impact of Famciclovir, Age, Rash Severity, and Acute Pain in Herpes Zoster Patients. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 178(Suppl 1), S76-80.
  2. Stucker, M., et al. (1997). Intracutaneous Histamine Injection Can Detect Damage of Cutaneous Afferent Fibres in Postherpetic Neuralgia. Dermatology, 195, 311-316.
  3. Peter, C., Watson, N., Babul, N. (1998). Efficacy of oxycodone in neuropathic pain. American Academy of Neurology, 50, 1837-1841.
  4. Nelson, K., et al. (1997). High-dose oral dextromethorphan versus placebo in painful diabetic neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia. American Academy of Neurology, 48, 1212-1218.
  5. Carasso, R., Yehuda, S., Streifler, M. (1979). Clomipramine and Amitriptyline in the Treatment of Severe Pain. International Journal of Neuroscience, 9, 191-194.
  6. Galer, B., et al. (2002). The Lidocaine Patch 5% Effectively Treats All Neuropathic Pain Qualities: Results of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Vehicle-Controlled, 3-Week Efficacy Study with Use of the Neuropathic Pain Scale. Clinical Journal of Pain, 18(5), 297-301.