What is post-herpetic neuralgia?

Post-herpetic neuralgia is a nerve pain condition that can result from having shingles. Shingles is a painful rash of blisters on the skin. Shingles itself is caused by the chicken pox virus, which usually lies dormant once having had the chicken pox. The dormant virus can, however, flare up and cause shingles. The onset of shingles oftentimes occurs when someone is under stress. After a number of weeks, shingles usually goes away. Sometimes, however, the nerve pain associated with the shingles continues long after the healing of shingles blisters. This on-going nerve pain is called post-herpetic neuralgia.