Management of Post Herpetic Neuralgia: Brief Report of Practical Actions

In recent publication we present a complete review on PHN treatment [1] (practically and theory), but this brief report is mainly focused on the practical manipulation of treatment. Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there is three pattern of disharmony for Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN): Fire blazing, Damp-Heat and qi/Blood stagnation which the later is main cause of pain in PNH [1]. The pathogenesis of burning pain in PHN is qi/blood stagnation. This is due to obstruction of produced Qi [2] which this latter moves blood. This is called “hypochondriac pain” or “pain in chest” in TCM. This causes a prickling like severe pain in the areas innervated by intercostals areas nerves and presented as an intense and intractable PHN for long time (sometimes several months before visit) and easy to be cured. In clinical experiences there are patients which insomnia for several weeks. This type of PHN is most common clinical and chronic pain.