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Pain like a bulls-eye target

Posted , 3 users are following.

jana02303
jana02303

When the pain began, it was a very localized spot that was too painful to touch, and the surrounding area felt like a pulled muscle. It came on very suddenly, over minutes instead of hours.  I never saw any blisters, although there was a small red area for a few days near the highly painful spot.  After the redness faded away, the pain changed and I started feeling pinpricks, stabs, stinging, and other sensations in the area around the original painful spot and where the redness had been, maybe about a 2-inch radius. That's what led 2 doctors to tell me I probably had had shingles, although by then the redness was long gone and I had never seen any blisters. Now I have about a 6-inch radius around the original spot where I get a raw/sunburned feeling.  So, it's basically a small area of extreme tenderness surrounded by an area of prickles and stabbing surrounded by sensitive skin. The whole area aches mildly.

Thankfully, this nonsense isn't constant.  I've had good days and bad days, sometimes good hours and bad hours.  I'm very fortunate that heat, ibuprofin, epsom salts compresses and rest keep it at a level 1.  It's just that if I go too long without doing those things it flares back up to a 5-6, and I'm starting to fear it's never going to improve. I had a stretch of about 10 days when I was quite confident it was improving, and then it flared up again and hasn't settled down for the past week.  I also fear that it's not shingles after all but something rare and ominous.  There were no blisters, just redness that faded in 3-4 days.  My diagnosis is based on my doctors' best guess based on what I told them, not a visual confirmation, so it seems like there's room for error.  Also, I don't know if the bulls-eye thing is characteristic of PHN, where the sensitivity extends several inches beyond the original site.  

2 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • julie96424
    julie96424 jana02303

    Posted

    Hi my shingles began like that over 30 years ago. Doctors didnt know much aboug it then and still dont or how it affects people. Im on drigs daily now to keep it at bay. They treated mine as a boil at first. Worse thing they could have done. Make sure you get correct medication for it. You need anti virals as soon as it shows. Its not shingles commonly believed to be an old persons virus anyone any age can get it in different areas. Hope this helps
    • jana02303
      jana02303 julie96424

      Posted

      Thank you; that does help.  I'm interested that you said yours was treated as a boil at first, because that's exactly what I thought when I first saw my red spot! I didn't go to the doctor at all, just treated it like a boil and thought I'd been successful when it faded away.  By the time the persistant pain finally drove me to the doctor it was too late for antivirals to work.  I'm trying to just be grateful that it's manageable without heavy pain meds and to hope that it will fade away in time.  I wonder if they'll ever make the vaccine available to younger people.  I get my boosters, faithfully get my flu shot each year, and yet here I am suffering long term effects from a vaccine preventable illness anyway.  Maybe if they get enough evidence that younger people are being stricken and that not all rashes are immediately recognizable, things will change. Thanks for sharing your story.  It helps to know I am not the only one.
  • jocelyne44618
    jocelyne44618 jana02303

    Posted

    Hi Jan  you dont state where your pain is, as I have said before  mine is under my bra area going round my back and the hotness travels up to my shoulder blade

    under my bra area it is hypersensative  and I also get what seems to be a cramping.

    I have been given Gaberpentin 900 x3 a day plus I use  oxynorm liquid, which I take as soon as I wake up then lay still for around 20 minutes, and I take my first set of meds.  I do hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel soon as its been 6 months since I have been able to wear a bra, (I dont feel dressed with out a bra)  I keep trying  to wear a bra  but after a couple of pain staking hours  I have to give in and take the bra off.  so I long for the day I can keep a bra on all day. Do reply  kindest regards  Jocelyne

  • jocelyne44618
    jocelyne44618 jana02303

    Posted

    Jan  this "epsom salts compresses"  where and what do you do   for me I tried the tens machine   and it nearly shot me through the roof, so im willing to try your idea

    take care Jocelyne

    • jana02303
      jana02303 jocelyne44618

      Posted

      Hi Jocelyn - my pain is higher up than yours but it sounds like the same general area.  I can wear a bra but find myself using the arm as little as possible because it stirs things up less if I hold it to my side and open it up as little as possible.  The epsom salts are another name for magnesium sulfate, available from the drugstore.  I dissolve them in warm water, soak a washcloth in the water, wring it out, and then hold it to my skin for about 20 minutes. It's no cure, but it usually helps take the edge off.  I hope you find relief soon.  Do you find heat at all helpful?  I can usually count on my heating pad to provide relief, and am wondering if my current flare-up was brought on by sharply colder weather.  

       

  • jocelyne44618
    jocelyne44618 jana02303

    Posted

    hi Jana  Thank you for replying,  I have a small heat pad, I have never thought of using it   I will give it a try- like you  you will try any thing if it helps.  I work as a TA  in a senior school, and find that in the day time  I tuck under my arm  one of the "First aid " ice packs" in its cover  its a sort of thick fluid pack which you can bend around my side.  this helps me, and run to the first aid room ands change my packs and use, them.  How ever I do find if I stress over the simpliest thing, it blows my pain up,  I have also used lidicane sticky sheet,  but I find after taking them after the 12 hours it made my paid double.  Any way Jane stay in touch, I wish you well, if all of us who have this terrible  pain stick together may be WE WILL discover  a possible cure.  Regards Jocelyne
  • julie96424
    julie96424 jana02303

    Posted

    Hi just want to give some advice to you all. I have had shingles on and off for 30 years now. I get it mainly in one place it is on my lower back and buttock. I am in the UK and they are so ignorant of its behaviour. Heat can aggrevate it so avoid it. Avoid sunbathing and banging yourself in the area. Stress is a big no no. I have ended up on anti depressents, gabapentin and take Aciclivir twice daily. After all these years the NHS have just offered me counselling and physio whatever thats likely to do. I. Dont know where you all live but dont let your doctors ignore you.
    • jana02303
      jana02303 julie96424

      Posted

      Thanks.  Oddly, heat does help calm the pain down.  I have a feeling that muscle tension is aggravating the problem, so maybe the heat is relaxing the muscles enough to calm down the nerves?  Cold packs feel awful, but they work for another poster in this thread, so what's up with that? One of the frustrating things about this malady seems to be that there's no one-size-fits-all solution.   
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