Shingles (herpes zoster) is a very painful virus that affects the nerve endings. Typically, a shingles rash will follow the pathline of a particular nerve, in areas like the waist band, face, and shoulder. Researchers estimate that every year, a half a million people in the United States develop shingles.
As if shingles isn’t bad enough, many people, particularly those over 60 years, develop a very painful condition called post herpetic neuralgia, a type of nerve pain along where the shingles occurred.
Nerve pain, neuralgia, is a very difficult pain to treat. While some people see the PHN ease off, some still …read more

Specialists in diabetes, neurology, pain management and rehabilitation have begun a ground breaking study of peripheral nerve surgery to help patients with long-standing pain and numbness in patients with diabetic neuropathy.
About one-third of patients with diabetic neuropathy have overlying compression of certain nerves in the leg that may worsen the pain and cause loss of sensation at the bottom of the foot. Several studies have demonstrated that the nerves may increase in diameter in diabetic patients. In this study, UT Southwestern investigators are hoping to show that by releasing pressure from the specific nerves of these patients, pain may be …read more