• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.139-143
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• 1990

There are several methods for the treatment of herpetic neuralgia, but there is no method that results in complete remission. The laser has lately come into use to reduce several acute or chronic pains. Twenty six patients who suffered from herpetic neuralgia were treated with Ne-Ne and Ga Al AS lasers simultaneously 2 or 3 times per week. In order to determine the degree of pain relief, we used the visual analogue scale. The results were as follows. 1) Low level laser therapy (LLLT) was a non-invasive, simple method. 2) The improvement rate after 15 irrradiations of laser was 63%. 3) The Highest improvement rate (24%) was shown after one irradiation of laser. 4) Only one patient above age 60 (3.8%) developed postherpetic neuralgia. 5) There was no significant difference effects of LLLT between above and below the age of 60. 6) There was no complication during or after irradiation of laser.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.268-272
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• 2007

Herpes zoster is caused when the varicella zoster virus(VZV) that has remained latent since an earlier varicella infection is reactivated with cutaneous and mucous manifestations. They occur in 20% cases in the trigeminal area and typical manifestations are neuralgias simulating dental pain, also vesicles with an erythematous halo located in the territory of the second and third trigemial branch. They erupt on the skin, the lips, tongue, palate and cheeks. With an ever-increasing number of elderly and immunocompromised patients attending the dentist, the dental profession can expect to encounter an increased number of herpes zoster patients. Furthermore, the oral and maxillofacial surgeons must be familiar with the presenting signs and symptoms of patients experiencing the prodromal manifestations and oral complication of herpes zoster of the trigeminal nerve. As presentation of our patient with ulcer on hard palate caused by herpes zoster, current treatment of herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia are discussed.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 1997

Capsaicin cream has been used to attenuate the pain associated with diabetic neuropathy, rheum-atoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and postherpetic neuralgia. But its common side effect, local irritation, limits the use of it and there is still a need for a new analgesic devoid of this side effect. This study was conducted to compare the local irritant effect of DA-5018, a new capsaicin derivative, with that of capsaicin in various animal models and human beings. Capsaicin, applied topically to the mouse ear, produced dose-dependent increase of ear volume and the frequency of ear scratching behavior in mice. Neither ear volume nor scratching behavior was affected by DA-5018. In eye wiping test of rat, DA-5018 was 10 times less irritant than capsaicin. Capsaicin administered intradermally into the rat paw elicited paw lick/lift response with a potency which was three times that of DA-5018. Zostrix-HP (0.075% capsaicin cream), but not DA-50180.3% cream, increased ear volume of rat and induced thermal hyperalgesia in normal and carrageenan inflamed paws. Six day-treatment of Zostrix-HP failed to develop tolerance against this thermal hyperalgesia. In human beings, Zostrix-HP produced burning sensation and itching in more than 90% of volunteers involved and its maximum irritant effect was significantly higher than that of DA-5018 cream. These results suggest that local irritation and burning sensation produced by DA-5018 is much less than capsaicin.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.188-193
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• 2007

Varicella-zoster virus is a human herpesvirus that causes chickenpox (varicella), becomes latent in cranial nerve and dorsal root ganglia, and frequently reactivates to produce shingles (zoster) and postherpetic neuralgia. Varicella zoster meningitis is a rare complication after varicella zoster infection. It usually affects a patient of immunocompromised or impaired cellular immunity, is rare in a immunocompetent child. We report two cases of aseptic meningitis in association with varicella zoster, not having any complication in the immunocompetent children.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.227-230
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• 1999

The sphenopalatine ganglion lies behind the middle nasal concha in the sphenopalatine foramen which connects the fossa to the nasal cavity. It has sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers as well as sensory fibers which innervate the nasal cavity, palate and nasopharynx. Current indications for blockade of the sphenopalatine ganglion include the management of migraine, cluster headache and a variety of facial neuralgias. Blockage of this ganglion can be attempted when more conservative treatments have failed. If the pain relief gained through the procedure is of short duration and the blockage needs to be repeated frequently, then radiofrequency thermocoagulation should be considered. Since the sphenopalatine ganglion lies close to the maxillary nerve, neurolytics can cause facial dysesthesia, radiofrequency thermocoagulation is the preferred method for ganglionotomy. Radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion was done for 3 patients who suffered from postherpetic neuralgia, cluster headache, atypical facial pain respectively. Good results were obtained with the exception of the patient suffering from atypical facial pain. Although we were concerned about complications such as epistaxis, none were encountered. However it should be noted that caution must be exercised when repeatedly redirecting the cannula in the sphenopalatine fossa as serious bleeding and pronounced facial swelling may result.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.210-213
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• 2005

Acute viral meningitis and myositis are rare complications of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation. A 71-years-old immunocompetent man, who presented with lower back pain radiating to the left lower extremities, developed vesicles on the L5 dermatomal area. The next day, he had complained of aberrant vesicles on the trunk, face and scalp, with generalized myalgia, headache and dizziness. He was confirmed with VZV meningitis and myositis, as demonstrated by the presence of VZV DNA in the blood and cerebral spinal fluid using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. PCR has been used in patients with a VZV infection associated neurological symptoms, and provides a useful tool for the early diagnosis of VZV-associated neurological disease. The patient was treated with bed rest, with intravenous acyclovir for the VZV infection, and intravenous Patient-controlled Analgesia for pain management and the prevention of postherpetic neuralgia. When he visited the outpatient department 3 months later, the skin lesion, leg pain, headache and myalgia had all improved, without sequelae. Here, this case is reported, with a discussion of the relevant literature on its diagnosis and management.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 1990

Fifty-one cases of acute herpes zoster infection were analyzed to search for the most effective management strategy of the disease, including pain relief and decreasing the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia. Anti-viral treatment was not included. Analgesics and nerve blocks, such as stellate ganglion block or epidural block, were helpful. Corticosteroid was administered in most of the cases either systemically or epidurally or both. Epidural administration of local anesthetic in combination with corticosteroid seemed to have certain advantages of excellent pain relief as a result of sympathetic blockade and regional plus systemic anti-inflammatory effects of the steroid, although this was not proved by definite statistical evidence.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2001

In order to review the studies related to the facial pain by acupuncture, we have referred to a PubMed site by using MeSH searching word of "facial pain and acupuncture". 12 journals with 20 papers were reported on the facial pain and acupuncture. Among them, 4 papers were appeared in Am J Chin Med, 3 in Acupunct Electrother Res, 2 in Br. Dent J, J Orofac Pain and Swed Dent J respectively, and 1 in 7 journals respectively. According to the classification of the patterns, 15 papers were done by clinical studies, 2 by review and meta-analysis respectively, and 1 by experimental study. TMD was the most disease that related to facial pain and CMD, neurogenic facial pain (trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic pain), dental pain and MPS were also appeared. Most of the studies didn't mention the acupuncture points, L14 Habkok in 4 papers and ST36 Chogsamni in a paper were only mentioned. Various modalities were applied in the trials such as classical acupuncture, electroacupuncture, TENS, SSP and auricular acupuncture. By the above results, we concluded that various acupuncture techniques are used with effectiveness on the facial pain. It would be needed further research on the acupuncture point specific and therapeutic techniques as well.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.247-249
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• 2015

Herpes zoster most commonly occurs in elderly patients, and usually affects sensory neurons. Therefore, its characteristic symptoms are segmental pain, itching, and sensory changes in the affected areas. A 71-yr-old woman experienced painful herpetic rash on the right cervical 2-4 dermatomes for 16 days. Two days after the onset of the rash, she was diagnosed with herpes zoster, and prescribed 250 mg famciclovir three times a day for 7 days, pregabalin 150 mg twice a day, and tramadol 150 mg once a day for 14 days, by a dermatologist. Despite medication, her pain was rated at an intensity of 6/10 on the numeric rating scale. In addition, she complained of severe itching sensation on the affected dermatomes. Superficial cervical plexus block (SCPB) was performed at the right C4 level with 15 ml 0.5% lidocaine plus triamcinolone 30 mg. Five days after the procedure, pain and itching completely disappeared. SCPB may be an effective option for the treatment of acute pain and itching arising from herpes zoster, and for the prevention of postherpetic neuralgia.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.103-109
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• 1995

The pain clinic in our institution opened on of June, 1984. since then until December 1994, we have had 1,741 patients who had been treated on an out-patient basis. The patients were analysed retrospectively according to their sex, age, and retrospective disease. There were 969 male(55.7%) and 772 female patients(44.3%) In the age distribution of the patients, the highest incidence was in the forties with 463 patients(26.6%). The second highest age incidence was in the thirties with 357 patients(20.5%), and the third highest age incidence was in the sixties with 341 patients(19.6%). In this figure, there were 203(26.6%) stomach cancer patients, 135(17.7%) cervix and uterine cencer patients, 81(10.6%) colorectal cancer patients, 74(9.7%) hepatoma patients, and 68 (8.9%) pancreatic cancer patients. The patients with non malignant chronic pain numbered 977(56.1%). In this figure, there were low back pain of 188(19.2%), sudden deafness of 17.5%, Buerger's disease of 63(6.5%) and postherpetic neuralgia of 56(5.7%).