Shingles can cause pain that is notoriously difficult to manage and can last for months to years for some people. The pain can be so severe that it causes a significant decline in quality of life and can be accompanied by suicidal thoughts and emotional distress.
If the pain lasts longer than three months, doctors call the condition post-herpetic neuralgia. Because the underlying mechanisms driving this persistent pain are unknown, treatment options are centered on relieving symptoms but largely fall short. Less than 50% of patients achieve meaningful pain relief.
