Mercy Pain Specialists Treat Shingles or Postherpetic Neuralgia

This 3D medical animation describes shingles as a skin condition caused by the chicken pox virus. The animation shows how the virus reactivates in the nerves and travels to the skin, causing a painful rash.

Patients looking for pain management options after having shingles often choose The Center for Interventional Pain Medicine at Mercy. Our pain medicine experts use new advances in interventional pain medicine aimed at improving quality of life for patients with postherpetic neuralgia.

About the Condition

Postherpetic neuralgia is the pain that continues after having shingles when the rash and blisters have healed. This painful condition affects nerve fibers and skin. The pain is often felt as a burning, aching or stabbing pain.

NEXT: Symptoms & Diagnostic Process ›

Symptoms & Diagnostic Process

Postherpetic neuralgia symptoms are generally limited to the area where the shingles outbreak first occurred. Symptoms may include:

Burning or sharp pain
Itching and numbness
Muscle weakness

Pain management specialists diagnose postherpetic neuralgia by conducting:

Physical exam

NEXT: Treatment Options ›

Treatment Options

One option to control pain is spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulation. After a trial determines that pain can be controlled using this method, a device is implanted under the skin. Patients then have the flexibility to turn the device on and off as needed to manage their pain.

345 St. Paul Place
Baltimore MD 21202

The Center for Interventional Pain Medicine at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, provides leading edge interventional pain treatment for conditions including spinal stenosis, herniated disk, facet arthropathy, osteoarthritis, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, post-herpetic neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy and cancer pain. Our doctors specialize in treatments such as injections, decompressions and therapies to reduce and alleviate pain.