Treatment of postherpetic neuralgia: tricyclic antidepressants still the reference.

(1) Pain generally disappears when herpes zoster lesions have healed, but the risk of postherpetic neuralgia, though it is low, increases with age. (2) Antivirals prescribed during the acute phase do not reduce the risk of postherpetic neuralgia, but they do reduce its duration. (3) Common non specific analgesics such as paracetamol seem inadequate against postherpetic neuralgia. Amitriptyline and desipramine, despite their limited efficacy, are the reference. Gabapentin, although somewhat less effective, is a possible second line option. It is unclear how long treatment should last.