JoAnn Jones (name withheld to protect patient privacy), noticed pain in her upper right shoulder, and back. At first, she thought it was due to lower back pain. But as the pain intensified over five days, she realized it was more serious. Her doctor prescribed antiviral medication to treat her shingles when she woke up on the fifth day with a rash that covered parts of her body. While the rash faded eventually, the pain didn’t.
“It’s a devastating illness, a chronic condition that you live with 24-7,”Jones explains Jones’ postherpetic neurogia (PHN), which is after-shingles pain.
Ms. Jones isn’t the only one in this struggle. About 1 million Americans contract shingles every year. It is distinguished by a rash, blisters, and most often occurs on the torso, chest, and back, waistline, upper arms, or side of the face. Shingles is caused by the varicella virus, which also causes chicken pox.
One in five people with shingles develop complications that lead to PHN (after-shingles pain) from nerve damage. The pain of PHN can last months, sometimes even years and can be very debilitating for those who are affected.
“PHN pain can erode a person’s quality of life, especially for elderly patients,”Christopher Gharibo is the director of Pain Medicine at NYU School of Medicine. He is also an assistant professor of Anesthesiology. “The pain can make everyday activities, like bathing or dressing, excruciating. Chronic pain often leads to serious depression. In fact, PHN is the most common cause of pain-related suicide in the elderly.”
PHN is more common in the over-50 population and those with weakened immune systems. Patients over the age of 50 who have shingles have a higher chance of developing it than patients 80 years and older.
Ms. Jones urges, “If you are over 50 and have unexplained pain, ask your doctor if it might be from shingles.”Early treatment of shingles can reduce or even prevent its duration and reduce the chance of developing PHN.
Talk to your doctor immediately if you suspect that you or someone you know may have shingles. Visit this site to learn more about shingles or PHN. www.AfterShingles.com.
LD1684I0309
