I have had post-herpetic neuralgia pain for seven years. No treatment has ever worked; neither conventional or alternative suggestions. Can you help?

A.

My best suggestions for relief of post herpetic neuralgia (persistent nerve pain after herpes zoster, also known as shingles) are the use of capsaicin cream and acupuncture. If you haven't already either one, I would. Capsaicin cream works by depleting substance P (a pain causing chemical). It will take several days of use to begin to see a result. Be careful when applying the cream, and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. Capsaicin cream gives a strong burning sensation, especially at first. I have also heard of some people taking cayenne internally as well for pain relief. Acupuncture is helpful for many people, it probably works by interrupting the nerve impulses that send the pain message to your brain. Find a licensed acupuncturist who has experience treating this problem.

One of my colleagues has used an elderberry concentrate to treat trigeminal neuralgia with good results. It apparently works by decreasing nerve edema. While trigeminal neuralgia is not the same as post herpetic neuralgia, I think the elderberry would be worth a try. Since it is a food product it is very safe. The dose my colleague used was 1 tablespoon of the very concentrated elderberry twice a day. His patients had significant relief within a week.

Finally if all else fails, ask your doctor to refer you to a pain management program. They can teach you strategies to help better manage the pain.

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