Purpose This pilot study compared usual care alone with usual care plus meditation in relation to anxiety, depression, pain, and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). PHN may occur after shingles, and has been described as one of the most intractable neuropathic pain disorders. Older adults develop PHN more often than younger adults. Mindfulness m...

Neuropathic pain is a common symptom in the elderly and tends to increase according frequency of related underlying disease. In older patients, cognitive decline accompanying medical conditions may make early diagnosis difficult. Therefore, detailed history taking, neurological examination, laboratory tests should be performed. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, entrapment radiculopathy, postherpe...

Herpes zoster, a biphasic disease with different kinds of pain is a challenge for pain therapy. The acute illness with mixed pain (nociceptive - neuropathic) requires antivirals for risk patients and pain treatment according to rules of acute pain therapy. For treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) an example of neuropathic pain, antidepressants, anticonvulsants and topical lidocaine are tod...

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a devastating, chronic pain syndrome that can develop following an outbreak of herpes zoster and becomes increasingly common as patients age. PHN can be difficult to treat and often requires trials of multiple agents to achieve significant pain relief. Pregabalin is the newest agent to gain approval for PHN. Data suggest efficacy for relief of pain and sleep dist...

Herpes zoster (HZ), also known as shingles, is a painful vesicular rash resulting from reactivation of the virus that also causes chickenpox - Varicella zoster virus (VZV). Typically, the rash runs its course in a matter of 4-5 weeks. The pain, however, may persist months, even years, after the skin heals. This phenomenon is known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Often described as an intense b...

Postherpetic neuralgia often causes persistent pain, which can compromise patients' quality of life. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of pain reduction after the application of transdermal fentanyl on the quality of life of patients with postherpetic neuralgia. The study lasted 12 weeks. The study population included adult patients experiencing spontaneous pain, expressed by 4 poi...