Postherpetic neuralgia

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When to seek medical advice

By Mayo Clinic staff

See a doctor at the first sign of shingles. Aggressively treating shingles early — within two days of developing the rash — may reduce the likelihood of developing postherpetic neuralgia or the length and severity of symptoms should it develop.

If you do develop postherpetic neuralgia, see your doctor right away. Finding an effective treatment to relieve the pain can sometimes be frustrating. You may have to work with your doctor and sometimes other specialists to try a variety of treatments before you find something that helps.

DS00277

Dec. 9, 2009

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