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Previous Volume 335:32-42 July 4, 1996 Number 1 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Spontaneous pain, pain provoked by trivial stimuli, and altered sensation accompany herpes zoster and may continue long after its characteristic rash has healed — a condition known as postherpetic neuralgia. Many approaches have been proposed to treat the pain of acute zoster, to avert its progression to postherpetic neuralgia, and to alleviate postherpetic neuralgia. Few of these approaches have been proved beneficial, and postherpetic neuralgia remains a source of frustration for both patients and physicians. In this article, we summarize current knowledge of the pathogenesis of postherpetic neuralgia and developments in its treatment and prevention.

Clinical Disease

Herpes zoster typically erupts within . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Epidemiology

Pathogenesis

Latency and Reactivation

Histopathological Features

Pain

Treatment of Established Postherpetic Neuralgia

Analgesic and Anesthetic Drugs

Capsaicin

Neuroactive Agents

Nonpharmacologic Interventions

Treatment Recommendations

Prevention of Postherpetic Neuralgia

Corticosteroids

Nerve Blocks

Antiviral Drugs

Combination Therapy

Recommendations for Prevention

Future Approaches

Source Information

From the Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Md.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Kost at the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bldg. 10, Rm. 11N228, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892.

References

Related Letters:

Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia
Zenz T., Zenz M., Tryba M., Rösler A., Schnorpfeil F., Fritz C., Kost R. G., Straus S. E.
Extract | Full Text  
N Engl J Med 1996; 335:1768-1769, Dec 5, 1996. Correspondence

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