Pain caused by herpes zoster infection

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a neuropathic pain disorder that occurs mos t often in the elderly. This painful condition is uniquely suited for clini cal research, resulting in an emerging understanding of the pathophysiology of the persistent pain. Until recently, only the tricyclic antidepressants proved effective for PHN. Controlled trials of a wide variety of therapeut ic strategies are in progress or have been recently completed.