Shingles Pain

If you have been diagnosed with the shingles, your doctor may have already treated the acute infection. He may have already provided you with pain medication. The Interventional Pain Medical Group can help your family doctor by providing you with the optimum pain relief in the most expedient period of time.

Acute Herpes Zoster Neuralgia

Shingles is caused by a Herpes Zoster Virus, similar to the Chicken Pox Virus. It can affect any part of your body. The virus attacks specific nerve roots causing injury of the nerve. Typical symptoms include a vesicular skin rash, which covers the distribution of the nerve. It can be extremely painful and take months to heal. It can be constant with sharp knife-like (lancinating) pain. These attacks can occur at frequent intervals during a 24 hour period or may be constant.The pain can last from days to weeks and may respond to conservative therapies as recommended by your family doctor. Some attacks require more aggressive therapy.

Herpes zoster blisters

Post-Herpetic Neuralgia

Approximately 5-10% of patients develop a chronic pain syndrome, which can last up to 10 years. In this population, there may be permanent nerve damage and an unending cycle of pain. This may cause physical, emotional, psychological and social repercussions. Sadly, there may be great disability.

Fortunately the IPMG can help you and your family doctor break the cycle of pain and prevent development of a chronic pain syndrome. Early pain therapy will provide the best chance for successful recovery and prevention of a long-term pain syndrome from occurring. In addition to conservative medical treatment, which may include antiviral, pain medication and topical analgisics, your IPMG doctors can provide pain-relieving injections. Such injections may include Epidurals, Sympathetic Nerve Blocks and Implantable Therapies. All are aimed at reducing your pain and returning you to a more normal life. In many patients, the majority of pain is relieved after the first injection.

The benefits versus risks of recommended procedures will be discussed in detail at your consultation.

The same virus causes chickenpox in children and shingles in adults.