Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is pain that continues after the rash from shingles heals, caused by nerve damage from shingles. PHN can develop in anyone who has shingles. About 12.5% of people who had shingles develop PHN. PHN is most common in people 60 years of age or older. PHN can develop if you:
- Developed a very bad rash when you had shingles
- Felt a lot of pain from the shingles
- Felt pain before your shingles rash started
- Have trouble fighting infections (such as from cancer or an organ transplant)
The pain from PHN varies from person to person. The pain can be mild or severe, constant or infrequently. The pain can be burning, stabbing, or even shock-like.
A seizure is the result of extra electrical activity in the brain. When the electrical activity is focused on a small portion of the brain, it is called a partial seizure. Partial seizures can spread to involve the whole brain (convulsive seizures).
There are two types of partial seizures:
- simple
- complex.
During a simple partial seizure, a person remains alert and can still follow commands. A complex partial seizure results in a loss of consciousness and often a person cannot remember the events that occurred during the seizure.
Neurontin Neurontin is a prescription oral medication for management of PHN pain that lasts for up to three months after shingles heal. Neurontin is proven to greatly reduce patients' pain.
Neurontin may begin to work as early as 1 week after you start treatment. It is important to note that it some cases it may take longer for PHN to work. In some instances, the pain caused by PHN may not get better.
Neurontin also helps control partial seizures in epileptics. This is essential helping to provide a better life.
Side effects Neurontin may cause side effects. Common side effects include drowsiness, dizziness, and weakness. You should not operate heavy or complex machinery until you are affected by Neurontin.